ROGER'S PERSONAL WRAP UP ON THE TOPIC OF THE MONTH, AND ON-TOPIC COMMENTS TO
OTHER MEMBERS
To the Squad with specific comments to Bo, Jonathan, Fintan and Donny
The topic is:
<<<<<<Brains, minds and intellectual patterns……. How are these related to each
other and to society? What defines and distinguishes an intellectual pattern
and gives it its lofty perch atop the static patterns of value?>>>>>>>>
My answer after 20 days of discussion:
BRAIN: A biological control mechanism for higher level organisms
MIND: Highly advanced brains are capable of forming intricate, patterned,
self-referential IPoV's that continue over the life of the brain. These
IPoV's include an actor (the body/zombie), a stage (the surrounding world),
and a director ( the mind/self referential IPoV process). "Consciousness" is
an intellectual function relating parts of our experience to each other.
INTELLECTUAL PATTERNS: A conceptualization or "map" of reality created for
the benefit of biological organisms and later for the benefit of society (and
most recently to Dynamic Quality.) IPoV's are completely and inextricably
interwoven with social and biological patterns.
The keys to distinguishing IPoV's is that they are conceptual maps of reality.
The values include truth, logic, simplicity, communicatability and economy.
Another key value is Pragmatism.... Pirsig himself states the MOQ is an
extension of this philosophy.
Social patterns, on the other hand, are distinguished by rules of conduct or
behavior that value harmonious interactions of individuals within a group to
maximize the survival and strength of the society. Biological patterns
emphasize the promulgation and survival of the biological entity.
Any given pattern can contribute to some, none or all three of these value
levels. Democracy, for example, is a socio-intellectual pattern that values
certain biological and intellectual freedom. The very "describing" process is
an abstract intellectual pattern that rides a sea of social language patterns.
The interplay of all the levels creates complex and dynamic patterns and
reality itself.
*************
COMMENTS TO OTHERS
To DONNY:
I now disagree with the concept that an IPoV must be communicated. Clearly,
communication and communicatability is a higher value for an IPoV, but it
isn't necessary. Robinson Crusoe thoughts, even of the"I want a cookie"
variety are Intellectual patterns.
To FINTAN and JONATHAN (regarding whether intellect belongs on top of
society):
Knowledge values freedom from CONTROL by the other levels, but not freedom
from SERVICE to the other levels. The intellectual patterns which you two and
others disagree with all share a common low value tendency of being extremely
NONPRAGMATIC. Eugenics and such are not examples of high quality intellectual
patterns according to the MOQ, they are examples of extremely low quality
patterns.
According to Pragmatic philosophy, theories are instuments, not answers.
Pirsig mirrors this in his comment that a biologist "normally and properly
ties his request to some branch of humanities overall evolutionary purpose
(against hostile static forces of nature.)"
One measure of the value of a quality social pattern is that it generally
provides high biological quality too. The same is true of intellectual
patterns. Intellect is at top because of this and because any society
repressing truth and knowledge is repressing its own effectiveness of dealing
with reality.
I realize this is a bit cryptic, so I am preparing a new thread soon on
Pragmatic intellectual quality. I believe Pragmatism may offer some solutions
to the split on this issue within the squad (better than the three level
solutions.)
TO BODVAR and JONATHAN: (Regarding SOLAQI and Intellectual quality)
The values of logic and the values of the Intellectual level of MOQ seem to be
similar, though I believe the latter are broader in scope. My full definition
is above.
And by the way Bo, what differentiates your 'S/O logic' from just "logic'? Is
the Solaqi concept still adding value? I think this is the month to make your
case, and I had you in mind when writing the Topic.
TO CRITICS OF THIS MONTH'S THEME:
Yes this month's topic was broad and general. In response, let me answer that
sometimes it is easier to approach a problem broadly, conceptually, and multi-
dimensionally. The question wasn't just intended to focus on brains, zombies,
minds, intellect, SOLAQI, or society. It was to conceptualize the
interconnectedness and interplay of these topics. That is why the Pirsig
lead-in quote where he makes a similar point was selected.
None of these topics make sense without the others. It is like explaining the
path the earth takes by "simplifying things" and ignoring the sun and other
planets. Simple reductionism doesn't always work. I guess I should have made
this clearer...... apologies offered. For next month's topic may I suggest a
specific topic? How about "Spiders on LSD and the MOQ?" :-)
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Roger Parker
homepage - http://www.moq.org
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