Hi all,
>Is the individual freedom from the society a mean
>or an end of the intellectual level?
I always seem to start off by attacking the question;-)
In this case the question implies that individual freedom is an
intellectual pattern.
Just because Pirsig says it does not mean that it should go
unquestioned.
IMO, individual freedom is a SOCIAL pattern.
I think that my point is demonstrated by Pirsig's own favourite example
- Native Americans - to demonstrate the point. The way Pirsig describes
the intellectual level, it is something that evolved under special
conditions and in specific societies. I think that there is a strong
argument that the intellectual level AS WE KNOW IT is not represented in
Native American society. Otherwise, Pirsig would have surely laboured
the point. On the other hand, that society traditionally values
individual freedom very highly.
What Pirsig does in Lila is to rationalise the benefits of valuing
individual freedom. The only thing that might be considered an
intellectual pattern is this rationalization. Then again, I wonder what
the Indians would make of it!
Jonathan
MOQ.org - http://www.moq.org
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