> That's a more comprehensive answer that I expected, Michael, and a candid > one at that. To be sure I understand your philosophical position, I'd like > to extract the points I consider important, adding a comment or > question where I'm confused. > > 1. "Potentiality exists *always* and any actuality is only *a* > realization of it." > Ham says: > Agreed. I would say that any realization is a weak and temporary > image. MP: Yes!
> 2. "I have to this point understood [Quality] to be much like my analogy > of magnetism, only a magnetism with no source." > Ham says: > For me Pirsig's Value (Quality) is more like a magnetic field with no > magnet. (I have not been able to unravel the patterns.) MP: What do you mean by the last comment about unravelling patterns? That "no magnet" is a way of saying there is no pattern apparent to you that is the analogous "magnet", but that one may exist? Or that you have not been able to unravel Pirsig's concept of Quality? > 3. "I see reflections in Quality of everything I have learned > through my theistic understanding." > Ham asks: > Not sure I understand whether the "reflections" refer to your > beliefs or to patterns of Quality. MP: Not sure I understand it either ;-) that's why I'm here. I'm in discussion with theists on all this as well, btw. Just (obviously!) not here. > > 4. "It is this which more than anything allows me to suspend my theistic > hesitancy to enter such apparently atheistic intellectual pursuits." > Ham says: > I translate this to mean "testing" your theism in an atheistic > environment. MP: Well, "my theism" in this understanding is subject to development, not fixed. In this sense, while I am "testing" it, it is not in the classic sense of test = [pass] or [fail], it is in the interest of growing it, finding greater meaning in it, allowing it to change given what my intellect processes, etc. > Ham says: > I fear that too many cooks may spoil the stew you've got > cooking, so this may not be the right moment to add my "seasoning". MP: Don't worry. I have a fully functional BS filter. > Ham says: > Thanks for the clear and open assessment of your thinking to date, > Michael, > and let me know when you're ready to consider an alternative view. MP: I appreciate it, thanks. I'm ready to consider all views, but here am so maxed out trying to get a grip on Quality that I am best advised I think to first get that sorted out to a degree before adding to the things I'm juggling. But having a two way conversation is always nice :-) MP ---- "Don't believe everything you think." 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/
