MFs
I've done some processing on the problems and come up with a list.
Personally I don't agree that all these actually are problems and I expect
yous don't either, but in the spirit of brainstorming let's leave that for
the time being and ask, is there anything else that ought to be included?
QUALITY = MORALITY = REALITY
1.1 Pirsig shows that morality is a type of quality, but this does not mean
that the opposite is always true.
1.2 Pirsig has proven that quality is real. However, that quality is reality
itself has been left almost totally unsupported.
1.3 Pirsig has previously made it quite clear that patterns of static
quality can all be placed within the four levels of the MoQ, but he also
says that morality operates between the levels. Thus morality seems to be
quite different from patterns of quality and it's a contradiction to say
that quality and morality are the same thing.
1.4 For a conception to exist there has to be a counterconcept (ie, for
there to be Good there must also be "not Good", for there to be moral, there
has to be immoral), but there are no counterconcepts to
Quality/Morality/Reality.
QUALITY AND DYNAMIC QUALITY
2.1 Pirsig doesn't adequately distinguish between Quality and Dynamic
Quality
DYNAMIC AND STATIC QUALITY
3.1 The various descriptions, definitions and examples of Dynamic and static
quality aren't consistent with each other.
THE LEVELS
4.1 The levels are not defined well.
4.2 There is no rational way to resolve same-level conflicts.
4.3 Pirsig does not explain well how levels emerge out of underlying levels.
4.4 The rational morality doesn't consider matters of degree. Eg, a forestry
corporation may be more moral than a log, but is it more moral than the
entire rainforest?
4.5 The MoQ states that a higher level "trumps" a lower level, but has a
duty to preserve the lower level. Thus, both sides of any moral conflict can
always be argued with equal support from the MoQ.
4.6 Using the levels as a moral guide can only work if we have complete
information about an issue, but, as this is impossible, then the moral code
is impractical.
4.7 Pirsig's levels aren't entirely consistent with the way neurologists
tell us the brain actually works.
4.8 Quality is just what you like, so the MOQ's morality is emotivism
EVOLUTION
5.1 RMP's definition of evolution is not in agreement with conventional
science. Evolutionary biologists do not rank humans above bacteria on any
evolutionary scale.
5.2 LILA claims in various parts that Quality is the source, the track of
evolution, and the goal. That breaks down to "Quality evolves from itself,
towards itself on a track of Quality." This is a very difficult position to
explain. I believe Pirsig once explained that reality evolves from
"low-quality" to "high-quality", but this explanation raises (at least) as
many problems as the original position.
FREE WILL
6.1 Pirsig's explanation of free will is flawed because in order to have
free will you must have a subject, or else who's "will" is it that is free?
SELF
7.1 Pirsig doesn't explain how an individual being, a self, fits into the
MOQ.
7.2 If we operate from the belief that there is no such thing as the self,
and that Quality or Reality is one undifferentiated continuum, then the
question of choice, freedom, good and morality does not arise.
7.3 If there is no self and the MOQ is reduced to being only a "feel good"
Metaphysics of Mysticism then evolution in all respects should follow a
linear progression by itself, without any setbacks or reversals since DQ as
an evolving force is complete and fully present at all times.
7.4 Since all conceptions, beliefs and their counters are aspects of
perception can "static patterns of value" have any existence outside
perception?
SPACE-TIME
8.1 The MOQ describes an evolutionary process which appears to take place
within fixed parameters of space and time, yet we know from physics that
space-time is not fixed in this way.
THEM PESKY INJUNS
9.1 The conjecture that Indians had some huge influence on American thought
is never supported well.
Diana
MOQ.org - http://www.moq.org
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