> > Steve wrote: > > In considering the MOQ's take on the abortion issue it may be helpful > > to consider he MOQ's understanding of humanity. A human being is a > > forest of patterns of all four types. A biological homo sapien is not > > automatically human just for having the right DNA. A homo sapien > > without any social patterns is a purely biological entity--an animal. > > It is impossible for me to consider a zygote to be a person, and the > > MOQ can't see it that way either since a zygote cannot participate in > > social patterns. > > > > MP: Actually, one of the most concise indications I've read so far of how > MoQ > morality would speak to abortion. If in fact this is MoQ's stance on human > life, it > goes RIGHT to the initial foundational question/issue I noted as the > primary > one: life (notably human life) > > Steve's comment indicates that MoQ gives far greater weight to the > pattern, not > the potential for pattern. This has MAJOR bearing on how all the other > greater > questions (choice, culture, society) come into play on an MoQ moral > perspective. > > IMO this is an incredibly relevant moral distinction as it pertains to > MoQ. I'd be > very interested to focus on this one topic to get a concencus from the MoQ > perspective on its validity, because if its true and accurate, I think it > cleans up > the rest of the discussion very quickly. > > > Interesting to note, having recognized this of MoQ morality that > culturally, > societally, bioilogically; the approach to human life has been very > different. We > take great pains to protect and nurture our children, and as much as it is > for > love of them, it is as a result of their potential; "They have their whole > life ahead > of them." We even see sacrifice of life by more evolved patterns (parents, > adults) to save the life of less evolved patterns (their children, a > stranger's > child). > > If MoQ morality in fact would suggest the reverse to be the morally > appropriate > response, what does that portend for the applicability of an MoQ moral > understanding to human psychology? What does that very distinct conflict > between the MoQ morality and human nature say for the future of MoQ? > Interesting line of thought and reasoning to be pursued here...
You put your finger on the problem, or rather non problem, because Craig should have qualified his statement purporting to describe the MOQ's understanding of humanity by adding "adult" as in, "An adult human being is a forest of patterns of all four types." In fact Pirsig describes in some detail in Chapter 9 of Lila how a human baby gradually acquires social and intellectual patterns over a period of development, starting in the womb. That said, I agree with you entirely that Craig, unlike others, has related the abortion question to the moral perspective of the MOQ rather than fly off on unrelated tangents based on personal feelings and peculiar interpretations of the Constitution and the law. If the discussion of abortion here is to have value, it should stick to how MOQ morality would speak to the issue. Platt 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/
