[Xacto] I feel attempting to pin point a cultural definition of the meaning of "intellect" or "intellectual level" in the context of human beings as a species is self defeating to a point. Any answer would naturally be filled with contextual and relative difficulties in meaning that would seem to conflict with eachother. But the exchange helps us to define what those terms mean to our understanding.
[Krimel] While I have not seen a compelling account of intellect here I don't think the issue of the level is that difficult. Intellect seems to have a connection to thought. There are different kinds of thinking. Without getting specific about this, my argument is that a thought, that can be expressed and understood, is an intellectual pattern. The accumulation of expressed thoughts is a level. Others seem to want to classify these expressions as applying to this or that level. Those expressions may indeed be classified according to what they are about. But I think that is irrelevant. ----- Original Message ---- From: Krimel <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wed, January 6, 2010 11:32:42 AM Subject: Re: [MD] What Bo Doesn't Get Andre: Hi Steve (thanks for the reference) and Krimel: If Pirsig suggests that intellectual patterns are found existing after the beginning of history ( as I understand this; the time when people began to record things in writing?...most of which evidence has not survived of course) then who am I to argue? If this is the MoQ understanding then so be it...and it does open up a different understanding for me (which is great!). [Krimel] I was perfectly willing to throw Pirsig under the bus on this one but thanks to Steve for rescuing him. I still think you are still missing the point. Intellectual patterns, in fact the intellectual "level," almost assuredly existed before the beginning of history. Cave paintings, stone tools and burials are all prehistoric and point to an active and thriving intellectual level. People accumulated and shared their experiences in the world long before writing. [Andre] These rituals gave expression to the ideas people had about the world around (and above) them. I am not sure of whether to call this 'symbolic'. I think it is, because the rituals were intended to be an actual enactment of how they, immediately apprehended (to use Northrop's expression) the universe. However, through these ritual displays (art) they did symbolise their understanding of the workings of the entire universe. (as below-so above, as above-so below) [Krimel] This symbolic shared understanding IS the intellectual level. At this stage of its development we can only speculate about its form and function. We lack the tools and knowledge to decode it precisely. But once folks started writing it down, it assumed a more static and permanent form and we have a bit more to talk about. [Andre] It seems to me that Bodvar strongly identifies with intellect being the logos (and the mythos, social) and that this intellect has won out over the mythos (which, according to this [MoQ] reasoning it must, because it is a higher level of evolution). [Krimel] Both mythos and logos are purely parts of the intellectual level. They are just different approaches and not different in kind. In fact I think the idea of Mythos preceding Logos is backwards. Mythos is the corpse of discarded Logos. [Andre] Phaedrus makes it very explicit that with Aristotle our scientific understanding of reality was born. A powerfully argued logos designed to overthrow the mythos.... But the mythos has never been overthrown. [Krimel] Here is a case in point. Aristotle was not arguing Logos over Mythos. He was presenting an intellectual argument designed to counter and replace a previous intellectual construction. Some are tempted to call the older argument "mythos". The chief difference between them is not their intellectual character but that the older symbolic system seems fuzzier and less precise that what Aristotle presented. As Aristotle's style won out, the older mode became attractive purely for its emotional appeal. When symbols are fuzzy enough they must mean something to someone. 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/ 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/
