Bodvar Skutvik (skutvik@online.no)
Sun, 28 Sep 1997 17:00:41 +0100
Re. Hugo's discussion over (SOM) Mind versus (MOQ) Intellect with Magnus
and Jason. It struck a chord with me too when Hugo mentioned Gregory
Bateson, and I found my copy of his "Mind and Nature". It was bought in
1986 and full of underlining and remarks like: "Look to page..of ZMM", so
it had obviously been heavily consulted in the years before LILA. However
splendid, I will not comment on things in it, but try to carry an argument
from start to conclusion.
I'll begin with my standard chess opening: The Quality idea drops the
Subject/Object division in favour of Dynamic/Static Value [The static part
consists of four "dimensions"]. Our - and any other organism's - experience
IS the world. No subjective mind in our head interprets an objective
reality out there.[This last bit is fully in accordance with the "Umwelt"
(German for 'environment') idea of van Uexküll]. The objections to this
postulate are:
Question 1: What is 'thinking'?
Answer: It is the workings of the neural network of an organism. The more
complex the network, the more complex a world. In a species called 'homo
sapiens' the advanced social structure has made it able to reach a new
level (The Intellect) that struggles to free itself from society by forming
'thought alternatives'. "What would happen if...If not.?" and so on.
Question 2: What is the concrete world we butt our toes against?
Answer: Primarily Inorganic value, but actually ALL value dimensions that
constitutes our reality. We butt just as much against Organic and Social
obstacles as we do against stones.
Jason brings up the hardware/software metaphor. But really, is there an
empty machine totally devoid of programs? As I understand it there is a
logic built into the very circuit. Once it is turned on it "thinks" in a
certain way. On top of this can be added countless shell programs, but the
logic is fixed. The logic of our (biological) network has been the
subject/object one, but suddenly a terribly dynamic human being came along
and changed it. He blew his fuse in the process, but the "harm" is done,
now it cannot be reset.
Was it Magnus who said earlier on that this created solipsism, every
creature locked into its own world? That is only so if you retain the
subject/object "logic" and adds the MOQ as a shell program on top of it.
The Intellect is of course a dimension closed to all except us human
beings, but it is a place of endless vistas and freedom.
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