Platt posted "three versions of "intellectual value:" [Steve] "Intellectual value is like truth, a species of good -- that which is good to believe."
[Ham] But, inasmuch as truth and goodness are relative, what you really mean is "that which is good for YOU to believe." [Platt] Agrees with Ham and gives it a twist: "People believe what makes them feel good to believe." dmb says: Intellectual value is whatever makes people feel good? I'd say Platt twisted it way too much. And Ham's subjectivist spin is a bit twisted too. As I understand Pirsig and James, who both assert that "truth is a species of the good", the test that determines the quality of an idea or belief is not feeling or personal satisfaction. The goodness of a belief is tested pragmatically. It proves itself in future experience or it doesn't. If it works as a guide in experience, its useful and valid and good. It's not a problem to notice that this kind of success often breeds personal satisfaction and good feelings and failure is likely to inspire dissatisfaction and feelings of frustration, but experience is the test. That's where truths cash out. Or not. _________________________________________________________________ Climb to the top of the charts! Play the word scramble challenge with star power. http://club.live.com/star_shuffle.aspx?icid=starshuffle_wlmailtextlink_jan Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
