To: Elephant
From: Platt
ELEPHANT:
We can attribute any property we like to patterns of quality. Awareness
is *not* a property.
(A property would be a property of an *object* - but the reality of
awareness is, like that of quality, prior to both subjects and objects.
That is the same as saying that awareness is prior to (the operation of)
language. Being prior to language it is also prior to atoms, which are
linguistic entities.)
Let’s see. “Awareness” is prior to language and not a “linguistic entity.”
Doesn’t this self-contradiction give you a moment’s pause?
Also, you seem to make a distinction between objects and patterns of
value. Hear Pirsig:
PIRSIG:
“This may sound as though a purpose of the Metaphysics of Quality is
to trash all subject-object thought but that's not true. Unlike subject-
object metaphysics the Metaphysics of Quality does not insist on a
single exclusive truth. If subjects and objects are held to be the
ultimate reality then we're permitted only one construction of
things—that which corresponds to the "objective" world—and all other
constructions are unreal. But if Quality or excellence is seen as the
ultimate reality then it becomes possible for more than one set of
truths to exist.”
In other words, not only can SOM live side by side with the MOQ, it must
because the language of subjects and objects has to used to describe
the MOQ. That’s why you ran into the contradiction above. Further, lest
there be any doubt that patterns of value are synonymous with objects,
here’s what Pirsig says in SODV:
PIRSIG:
“The Metaphysics of Quality says objects are composed of "substance"
but it says that this substance can be defined more precisely as
"stable inorganic patterns of value." This added definition makes
substance sound more ephemeral than previously but it is not. The
objects look and smell and feel the same either way.”
But, in spite of our disagreement on whether objects are patterns of
value or not, we do agree that awareness is like Quality. In fact, I
submit that Quality and awareness are synonymous. Here’s how I
expressed it a long time ago when I wrote what I consider to be the
basic principles of MOQ:
1. The Quality Principle. Quality is simultaneously an immanent and
transcendent moral force. It created and gave purpose to our world,
motivated by the ethical principle of the "Good" which is its essence.
Quality is synonymous with “morality” and "value.”
2. The Awareness Principle. The essence of quality is known to us as
awareness without content—pure, unpatterned experience. As such,
it's impossible to describe. Whenever we try, we end up describing
what we are aware of, not awareness itself.
3. The Dynamic/Static Principle. To explain the inexplicable, the
Metaphysics of Quality divides quality into two parts, Dynamic and
Static. Dynamic Quality is the moral imperative to create; Static Quality
is the moral imperative to survive.
4. The Levels Principle. Quality became manifest in our world by an
evolutionary sequence of Dynamic Quality Events. Left in the wake of
these events were four static levels of evolution—inorganic, biological,
social and intellectual. Each level is a static pattern of Quality,
organized and governed by its own unique moral laws—the laws of
physics, biology, culture and reason respectively.
5. The Awareness Hierarchy Principle. Each higher level evolved from
and included the lower but expanded awareness. For example, the
intellectual level can apprehend mathematical patterns that the lower
levels cannot. Also, all levels possess, in addition to environmental
awareness, an awareness of values. Even a lowly virus knows what's
good for it.
6. The Moral Hierarchy Principle. Because higher levels are more
aware, they are more moral than levels below. Intellectual patterns take
moral precedence over social patterns, social patterns over biological
and biological patterns over inorganic.
There are more principles in my list but these are relevant to our
present discussion. Perhaps this will help us reach agreement.
Platt
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