Platt Holden (pholden@worldnet.att.net)
Sun, 11 Jan 1998 19:51:02 +0100
Hi Ken,
Enjoyed your post of Jan. 10. There's no question in my mind that science
does a good job explaining the physical level of existence although, as you
said, there's still a lot to learn and understand.
You deny the existence of "logical absurdities," but since you've named
them they must exist somewhere. It's not hard to find that somewhere if you
admit to the existence of concepts and ideas, Pirsig's intellectual level.
In fact, you'll be hard pressed to deny the existence of that level. To do
so would deny the thoughts in your letter.
It's interesting that you ran into a time problem and had to reverse
yourself. Time remains a huge mystery containing many logical absurdities.
For example, I've often asked myself "How could time be created by the Big
Bang when it takes time to create?"
But the real question that we're dealing with here on the Lila Squad is the
existence of values. You say, "All is gravity and time and energy." Pirsig
says all is Quality. As I stated in the first principle, The Principle of
Quality, "The world is primarily a moral order, consisting not of subjects
(mental things) and objects (material things) but patterns of value." This
is pure Pirsig.
And this is more than just a difference in viewpoints. This goes to the
fundamental nature of reality itself.
So how does science explain the existence of values? What do Einstein,
Bohr, Hawkings and other scientific giants tell us about morals? Where does
Quality reside in your scientific worldview?
Is Quality, like a unicorn, something that only exists in the imagination
of the conceptual level, or is it, as Pirsig asserts, embedded in the very
fabric of the "real world" of gravity, time and energy? Are moral values
just man-made creations to preserve society, or were they born in the
Creation?
Perhaps you've answered such questions in your previous letters. If so, I
missed them and ask your indulgence.
Platt
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