Ham: Let's start with Pirsig's statement: "The process of philosophic explanation is an analytic process, a process of breaking something down into subjects and predicates." Isn't all reasoning such a process? And don't we need a relational system (SOM) in order to reason? Don't we also need a relational word of finite things in order to apply logic, mathematics, comparative analysis, and cause-and-effect? If we call these reasoning processes Intellectual (without the "level"), then Bo is right -- not the SOL proposition that "Intellectual Level = SOM", but that SOM is the level at which intellection occurs.
Andre's response is that "to reduce Reason to pure SOM is to reduce reasoning's capacity to SOM's confines: (conventional reason = SOM because of the myth of being informed by the objective world)" But Reason IS confined to being informed by the objective world. That's what reasoning is. To intellectualize is to reason objectively. Can anyone deny this? Ron: I can, To intellectualize can be to reason intuitivly, that is,In action, reasoning involves a conscious attempt to discover what is true and what is best.-wiki Ham: As for the "morality" alleged to be implicit in MoQ (which makes it incompatible with SOM), man is blessed in having two uniquely human attributes: the ability to reason and sensibility to value. That makes him the measure of all things. Consider this statement by Ayn Rand: "Reason is man's only proper judge of values and his only proper guide to action." By propitious use of both capabilities, he has the power to change his world for the betterment of himself and his fellow creatures. Thus, for the Essentialist, the "moral imperative" is: Rational, self-directed Value. (And it doesn't even require a knowledge of levels or patterns!) Ron: Thus Allen Greenspans dilemma, no "moral" guidence, Rational, self-directed value is Hedonism sans moral integrity, Intellectualism without ethic is tantamount to evil for one may "rationalize" anything to justify that self directed value. This is why this current rational is meeting with disastor.In other words Rand supports the fleecing of the populace (AIG bailout) to the greed of the few. Is'nt this what is so repulsive about soviet communism and the like? 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/ 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/
