From: Mati Palm-Leis (mpalm@merr.com)
Date: Tue Oct 07 2003 - 04:24:58 BST
Paul & MOQ folks,
I think the term that has been used before is lurker, which I am not
totally fond of because of the social malfeasance that is implied. I
guess benchwarmer might be more appropriate. I have been reading over
the past three months with great interest this discussion/debate about
the Intellectual Level. My personal interest revolves around a possible
interest in writing a doctorate thesis with MOQ as a foundation to build
an educational leadership paradigm. Nothing of great significance yet,
however the process defining the Intellectual Level is a critical
component. I have tended to stay on the sidelines while the heavy
hitters go at it. It has been interesting to stay the least. With
Pirsig's new letter I have also read with great interest and thought I
might share a few comments before returning quietly to the sidelines.
Upfront I would like to thank Paul for sharing his letter. I understand
his concerns about having done so. I am reminded in LILA when Rigel
takes a crack at Phaedrus ideas. Phaedrus stated that he should have
seen it coming. I suspect Pirsig would understand the critical comments
and expected them as a part of the MOQ "Celebrity" status he is.
Personally I share your warm regards for Pirsig thoughts and comments
and I also believe that he has made some important contributions with
this letter.
The first contribution of the letter that I see it is that he does not
have the magic answer. It seems he has thought about this for sometime
and has not committed to any definition or rational for defining the
Intellectual Level. I am sure if he had a committed rational that would
have helped he would have given it to us. Also he seems fairly
comfortable in us trying figuring it out on our own.
About three weeks I asked an Art Teacher/Friend and philosophical novice
the following question, "Is Art Real, and if so how do you know?" She
shot back, when Louis Armstrong was asked "What is Jazz" he replied,
"Man, if you gotta ask you'll never know." We laughed and I loved her
answer and it made even more sense when Pirsig made the comment that he
was annoyed originally being asked what the intellectual level is?
As to the importance of defining the intellectual level, simply put for
myself it will promote a greater understanding about reality of the
intellectual level just as MOQ has redefined the reality we have come to
understand. As to Pirsig comments regarding Zen, I find Zen is a great
mirror of what MOQ isn't. I have my doubts about Zen Buddhism being the
stepping stone to the understanding of the intellectual level, but
having said that I hope Pirsig is right about the reality of the
definition lies in those of us who are intellectual. :)
Next on my mind is Pirsig statement, "When getting into a definition of
the intellectual level much clarity can be gained by recognizing a
parallel with lower level." Thank you DMB for your comments on this
subject. Agreed "something more" is what we are trying to understand
and the values patterns that define it. Whatever the answer for what the
intellectual level is, it should be a value pattern that can be easily
delineated for the other three levels, and yet easily understood how the
intellectual level is related to the three levels. Not an easy task but
I think an important one.
Finally I would like to thank Bodvar for his very important comment of
his on 10/6 "At times I wish we would heed the point about a child
understanding the Quality Idea and forget about these out-of-this-world
definitions of intellect." One of the great tragedies of the SOM is
that it has relegated philosophy to something that has little value and
meaning to people lives and yet plagues it in so many ways. As an
educator in the field I see it everyday. It is my hope that we can
further the discussion that everybody can understand.
Take care,
Mati
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