Hi Jez:
You wrote:
The nature of practicality, that is the need to maintain static patterns
and the need for dynamism exists at every level, but the exact
requirements are not the same each level. By practicality we usually
mean things which serve our biological nature. If we see intellect as a
separate entity it must have its own 'practical' requirements. Therefore
the MoQ is an intellectually practical theory, as are artistic endeavours.
Food for thought?
I’m not sure I grasp your meaning about the intellect having its own
“practical requirements.“ We do know that according to Pirsig the
intellect served a very practical role historically. From Lila, Chap. 24:
PIRSIG:
“The intellect's evolutionary purpose has never been to discover an
ultimate meaning of the universe. That is a relatively recent fad. Its
historical purpose has been to help a society find food, detect danger,
and defeat enemies. It can do this well or poorly, depending on the
concepts it invents for this purpose.”
So I think it’s safe to say that practicality can also mean serving our
social nature as well as biological nature. Can the MOQ as an
intellectual pattern serve society in the same way art does? Is art
dependent on intellect? How does art serve society? Food for thought?
You bet.
Incidentally, the passage from Lila cited above continues like this:
PIRSIG:
The cells Dynamically invented animals to preserve and improve their
situation. The animals Dynamically invented societies, and societies
Dynamically invented intellectual knowledge for the same reasons.
Therefore, to the question, "What is the purpose of all this intellectual
knowledge?" the Metaphysics of Quality answers, "The fundamental
purpose of knowledge is to Dynamically improve and preserve society."
Cells, animals, societies—all “inventing,” “preserving,” and “improving”
their lot by responding to DQ’s call, “Follow me for things to get better”
– indicating the presence of practical awareness to the degree
necessary to meet the requirements of all levels.
The high degree of awareness we possess was necessary to create
language which is one of the requirements of intellect. Is this perhaps
what you meant by the "intellect's practical requirements?"
Platt
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