Cool stuff, Anthony! Thanks for sharing it with us Dan
On Thu, May 2, 2013 at 4:12 PM, Ant McWatt <[email protected]> wrote: > For anyone interested here's some useful notes that Henry Gurr has sent to > me about the recently published "An Overview of the MOQ by Robert Pirsig" > transcript largely icw how the brain works: > > ---------------------------------- > > Date: Wed, 1 May 2013 18:54:52 -0400 > Subject: Now a Physics Theory supports Pirsig' saying: Quality is not just > some abstraction; it's something that guides your life every minute of > every second [of every day] even though you do not intellectually recognize > that it is so. > From: [email protected] > To: Dr Anthony McWatt et al > > > Dear ZMM Enthusiasts: > > At the end of this email thread, you will see Anthony McWatt's, > announcement of his recent posting of (with link to) his just transcribed, > Robert Pirsig Interview from => > > "The film (which is the third one featured on the 'The MOQ at Oxford' DVD) > originally appeared at the MOQ Study Day held at Oxford University in > October 2009." > > I congratulate Dr McWatt for doing this, since this is a very important > document, which everyone > should study and take to heart!!! In this reading, you will see that > Pirsig's words there, are an excellent. well focused, summary of the > essence of both of his books: ZMM and Lila!! Here Pirsig gives us some very > practical messages, really a theory, for guiding our every action, and > ultimately our life!! > > To help you get started, I show at A) below, the portion of Anthony's > transcript the part where Pirsig discusses just how "BETTER".... comes into > daily actions .... each moment ... leading to the next moment: > > In reading Pirsig's words, you will see how he amplifies the following: > > "Quality is not just some abstraction; it's something that guides your > life every minute of every second [of every day] even though you do not > intellectually recognize that it is so. .... " > > ******* > > This passage really gets my attention because, there is a VERY GOOD > PHYSICS THEORY, that says: : > > Pirsig's message is an intrinsic consequence of how our brain works!! > > Our brain is a biological mechanism to seek "the best" line of action, for > whatever > situation is encountered. (Here you should recognize that each new > situation, is really " a problem to be solved"!)... as Pirsig says " every > minute of every second [of every day]" !!! > > > **************************************************************** > > > AND all the more so, because (as I recently realized) this PHYSICS THEORY > of BRAIN operation, > shows FACTUAL REASONS for the LITERAL TRUTH of what Pirsig says!! (IE, > what Pirsig says: 1) In Anthony's transcribed interview, 2)In what he > specifically states (or implies) through-out ZMM and Lila. > > In case I've peaked your interest, I provide at B) below, the abstract of > my recent talk, about this very topic!! To learn more, click on the link > next down, to read my paper "Memory, Perception,& Problem Solving -- > AHA!!!, which discusses Princeton's Physics Professor J J Hopfield's > theory, as well as my discussion how this all fits together. > > These ideas propose an exceedingly important conclusion how our brain does > its work!! Moreover, I > believe these ideas are the leading edge of yet another "Copernican > Inversion, to use Pirsig's words in ZMM (in Chap. 11, p.119 Re: High > Country of Mind, overview of philosophers.) > > I hope I am not being too egotistical, but all this seems to me to be of > equivalent importance, to that of say Copernicus, Kepler, Darwin, or > Newton. YES... a new Copernican Inversion, that broadly supports Robert > Pirsig's... BETTER!! > > Let me know what you think. > > Sincerely > > Henry Gurr > > > ************************************ > > > PS: Anthony says at end of his email (pasted below): > > "I did completely re-edit the film for MSU but, on reviewing the two > versions, I realised the first one was actually better. A case of knowing > - as an artist - when to make that 'final mark on the canvas'!!.." > > Yes indeed!! Pirsig, in the interview makes the point this way, quoting > Robert Redford: " ... "That's how I make my films!" Well, I don't know what > I'm going to do [either], I just have to see what has Quality. If it has > Quality then I'll do it. If it doesn't have Quality, I won't > do it. If I look at it a week later and I see it doesn't have Quality, > I'll throw > it out. If I suddenly, in the middle of the night say, think of something > better, I'll put that in. " > > > PSS: This reminds me of Frank Lloyd Wright's statement: > > "The Architect's two best friends are the eraser and the sledge hammer." > Meaning, that if you see better, immediately replace the not so good!! And > don't fret over the the work it took to make the previous!" > > [N.B. Lloyd Wright is one of my favourite architects. It doesn't surprize > me that he said this - Anthony] > > > > ****Supplementary Reading, As Mentioned Above*** > > > > A) An Excerpt from Anthony's "An Overview of the MOQ"by Robert Pirsig > transcript : > > "There is an opening line in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance": > > "And what is good Phaedrus And what is not good - Need we ask anyone to > tell us these things?" R.Pirsig in ____ > > And, of course the answer is "No!" Everybody knows what Quality is. You > can't take a step forward without deciding that step is better than > standing where you were. You can't take a meal without feeling it'd be > better to eat than not to eat and you can't go upstairs without deciding > that it will be better to go upstairs... and so on. And so Quality is not > just some abstraction; it's something that guides your life every minute of > every second [of every day] even though you do not intellectually recognize > that it is so. > > So, I found that certain people know this automatically and they are > usually skilled artists. When you're trying to create a painting or a piece > of music you've got to have this feeling of what's better. And just this > feeling of what is better immediately will guide to whatever you want to > do. If you base what you are trying to create on what's been done before > you are going to get an imitation of something done before. But if you want > to do something new you can't look to the past, you can only look to this > empty Dynamic thing that is coming at you and say "Oh yeah, I'll do that!" > you know... and put that in. And then it works. > > Artists sometimes say: "He's got it!". They mean, he is hooked on to that > Dynamic thread that pulls > them forward into their art world. And people who don't understand that > look at their art and say: "Now I wonder how he managed to create that > thing?" Well, he doesn't know either; he just knows that something in his > consciousness (or something ahead of him) told him to go that way. > > I've talked with many artists, including Robert Redford interestingly > enough and he said "That's how I make my films!" Well, I don't know what > I'm going to do [either], I just have to see what has > Quality. If it has Quality then I'll do it. If it doesn't have Quality, I > won't do it. If I look at it a week later and I see it doesn't have > Quality, I'll throw it out. If I suddenly, in the middle of the night say, > think of something better, I'll put that in. > > > ***************** > > > B) ABSTRACT OF MY TALK GIVEN AT THE South Atlantic Coast > Section, American Association of Physics Teachers, Spring 2013 Meeting at > the > University of North Georgia-Gainesville (formerly Gainesville State > College), GA; > > April 5,6 2013: > > > The Human Mind As General Problem Solver, Is Observed To Find "Best" > Solutions, That Correspond > To Highest Mental Coherence: This Talk, Continuing Previous, Will Present > More Applications of Hopfield"s Mathematical Model of the Mammalian Brain. > > Henry Gurr, University of South Carolina Aiken, > > [email protected] > > > Princeton Physicist J. J. Hopfield's Mathematical Model of the Mammalian > Brain, says our brain Work for Memory, Perception, Language, Thinking, > etc, (Even the AHA-EUREKA-Flash Of Insight Type Problem Solving) is > achieved by our massively inter-connected CNS Neurons... Working together... > > MINIMIZING an analog of physical energy, thus yielding Optimal Solutions: > These "best" answers, correspond to highest mental coherence, (and in > physics language "least action"), for most facets organism response, be it > mental (eg: perception, memory, speaking, ideas, etc) or physical(muscular > actions, trail following, tool using, etc). > > Robert Pirsig's book "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", applies > here: > > "Working on a motorcycle, working well, caring, is to become part of a > process, to achieve an inner peace of mind. [Which comes from Optimal > Solutions; These "best" answers!!} The motorcycle is primarily a mental > phenomenon." ... "The cycle you're working on is a cycle called "yourself." > [Here think Hopfield Model!] > > Physical Chemist, Michael Polanyi's "Personal Knowledge" is also relevant > here. > > Conclusion:" If the shoe fits", then continue investigations, such as: > search for supporting > data, more observations, and authors. > > > > Footnotes: > > **Hopfield's Mammalian Brain was modeled after, and is similar to his, > Solid State Physics Model (& Theory) for Spin Glass, called Isig Glass . > More at link below. > > ***Above in [brackets], was added for this document. > > > > ***************** > > > My paper "Memory, Perception, Insight, & Problem > Solving -- AHA!!! -- : > > NOTE: There are a series of cartoons, puzzles, and jokes, but do NOT look > at these first, or you > will miss the point!! > > Click here: > > www.usca.edu/math/~mathdept/hsg/MemoryPerception&ProblemSolving.html > > > > ***************** > > > > From: Ant McWatt [[email protected]] > > Subject: Re: "An Overview of the MOQ by Robert Pirsig" Transcript > > > Dear all, > > I am pleased to announce that the complete and definitive transcript of > the short film "An Overview of the MOQ by Robert Pirsig" has now been > uploaded at: > > > http://www.robertpirsig.org/Pirsig%202009%20Transcript%20on%20MOQ%20at%20Oxford.htm > > > Many thanks to Andre Broersen who initially transcribed a rough copy of > the film; this is especially appreciated as, of course, Andre's first > language is not English! > > > The film (which is the third one featured on the "The MOQ at Oxford" DVD) > originally appeared at the MOQ Study Day held at Oxford University in > October 2009. It was given a second screening at the MSU Chautauqua last > December and was also warmly received there > > > Finally, talking of Oxford and Art, look out for the book on the MOQ and > Art by Patrick Doorly (the organiser of the MOQ Study Day) which is due to > be published soon. For what > it's worth, I think it could be a real intellectual turning point... > > > Best wishes, > > > Anthony McWatt > > > (site administrator) > > robertpirsig.org > > > > ************** END *************** > > > > . > 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/md/archives.html > -- http://www.danglover.com 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/md/archives.html
