[SA]
You put forth a well oriented argument, one that
has me pondering about the need for levels, but as you
will see below I do have one issue, the moral issue,
which seems to stir a value with these levels still.
I don't know enough about Kant, but I'm familiar
with what aprior knowledge is, at least, enough to
have some inclining as to what it means, but not
enough to take the next step and answer, could the
knowing of inorganic, organic, social, and
intellectual (as well as dynamic quality) be aprior
knowledge?
[Krimel]
Let me be clear. When I say hardwired I mean hardwired. It has been
demonstrated for example that the nerves in the retina transduce photons
into nervous impulses. There are layers of neurons arranged in such a way as
to detect dots, to detect motion, to recognize lines, different patterns are
recognized and passed to the brain already formatted in certain ways by the
very neurons that the sense the light. Our nervous system acts as a network
of enormous complexity. One of the ideas about how this all works starts
with Aristotle, get massaged by Locke, refined by Donald Hebb and forms the
theory underlying research in the field today. This is associationism or
connectionism. It holds that relationships or patterns are formed through
pairing. Repeated pairings strengthen associations. So I associate red with
apple because of my repeated pairings of redness and apples. I have a
category of apples that also includes green and yellow apples. While red is
the strongest association; green and yellow have their own sets of
experience behind them.
Pirsig describes the process of structure growing organically through this
process when he talks about his tray of slips and the advantages of random
access.
These patterns of association take on a structure of their own but it
mirrors the physical structure of the nervous system itself. Thick long
trunk line running down the spine then sprouting off into smaller and
smaller bundles until individual axons and dendrites form a three
dimensional web of sensation across the surface of your skin.
Networks of clustered connections, strong connections forming categories.
Like the Apple node. It responds to inputs like red and fruit and computer
and Beatles and on and on. It is a node of sensory and conceptual
associations. Experience strengthens and weakens these connections and
patterns. But the structure is hardwired.
[SA]
Pirsig does say quality is known when quality is seen. Now maybe this
recognition doesn't have to be within the human mind only, but this
recognition could be all at once in the mind and 'out there' (a kind of
recognition that is the same as when Buddha was enlightened all the universe
was enlightened at the same moment).
[Krimel]
We do demonstrate automatic patterns of association. To a certain extent
these have hardwired properties. We are biologically programmed to like
breast milk. We have grasping, sucking and orienting responses built in that
assist us in acquiring it. We also come right out of the oven equipped with
a set of "social" responses that mother will respond appropriately toward.
The cuts we make in those first patterns of association form the initial
patterns of the rest of our lives.
Certain "Qualities" are innate, pleasure, pain, joy and sorrow. Emotional
responses seem to happen to us. We have little conscious control over the
positive or negative "Quality" of our emotional responses and yet they
effect how the whole of how our network of associations resonates.
[SA]
Yet still, does the 'know quality when seen' mean a certain aprior
knowledge is occurring?
[Krimel]
Clearly each individual is a very "plastic" or changeable system. The
strengthening and weakening of our patterns of associations is in the
ongoing relationships we form and experiences we have. As some would have
it: what we do results from our biological state and our past patterns of
experience, interacting in the present environment.
I would say this applies just as well to our "thoughts" as to our actions.
We know things in virtue of our past experiences with them. Among the things
we recognize in the patterns of our past is their emotional valence, (value
or quality).
[SA]
What do you think Krimel?
[Krimel]
I think the important lessons of Zen take seconds to learn and years to
appreciate. I personally don't find much use in its practice. It is Buddhism
and Tao filtered through Shinto. I am content with Tao.
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