[MD] cloud of probability

[david buchanan]

Dan said:
The quote is being taken out of context by Marsha to make some point. It is an answer to the mystic objection that the world is beyond definition, as Phaedrus stated in his first book, ZMM. What point Marsha is trying to make, I have no idea. And I am not going to ask as I know she won't give me an answer anyway.


dmb says:
I had quoted Pirsig saying that "definitions are the FOUNDATION of reason" and I think Marsha's point is to counter that by saying definitions are beyond definition. I'm certainly not saying that her point makes any sense. Quite the opposite. Marsha defines static patterns as ever-changing clouds of probability (the name of this thread), so I quoted Pirsig saying you can't reason without definitions. My point being, of course, that Marsha's so-called definition of static patters contradicts the meaning of the words "static" and "pattern". Abusing the english language in this way means that she cannot reason properly.
I think her ridiculous reasoning goes something like this...

The Quality that Pirsig talked about in his first book (DQ, the mystic reality, the pre-intellectual cutting edge of experience) cannot be defined.
DQ and static quality are really the same thing.
Static quality can't be defined.
Definitions are static.
Definitions can't be defined. 
Therefore, words mean whatever I want them to mean and I don't care if you understand what I'm saying or not.