JONATHAN ARGUES THAT A FIFTH LEVEL MIGHT *NOT* MAKE THINGS BETTER
Hello all,
In my post near the start of the month, I stated that one approach is to
regard Pirsig's 4 levels as axiomatic to the MoQ. Axioms are chosen for
their utility, not their truth!
> GLENN REMAINS UNCONVINCED THE INTELLECT DESERVES ITS OWN LEVEL.
>
Actually Glenn, you are not alone. If you search back in the archives, you
will find a thread where I suggested that it might be better not to regards
Intellect as a LEVEL, but as a non-level off in a different dimension. Maybe
it is better regarded as a tool. The other three levels stack up nicely
according to complexity.
Another nice thing about a 3-level system is that it places biological man
at the centre, looking down at the lower level that are part of him, and
looking up at the higher level in which he participates.
But let's for now accept Pirsig's 4 levels, and by extrapolation see how we
might recognise a 5th level.
In Lila, Pirsig states that the Intellect has teamed up with the Biology to
thwart Society. Intellect says that Biological values are not to be denied
by Society, unless this is Intellectually justified. Intellect and
intellectuals have put Society in the role of presecutor, demanding PROOF (a
4th level value) whenever Society tries to put down Biology. This is well
illustrated by the effects of 20th century anthropology.
Now by extrapolation, the 5th level is going to demand that Intellect can
only exert its control over Society when it adheres to the values of the 5th
level. We have an obvious candidate in all the New Age garbage, which seems
to have little regard for 4th level values like logic and consistency.
The New Age values *are* a type of fifth level, and I like it even less than
Pirsig's intellectual 4th level.
Rather than looking for new levels, I personally think we have to hone and
improve the set of value tools we call intellect.
Jonathan
MOQ.org - http://www.moq.org
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