Hi Roger and Group:
The quotes you excerpted from Chapter 11 indeed appear to support
your view that all patterns can adjust to DQ, not just living patterns.
The entire passage which contains your quotes describes biological
evolution as seen from the MOQ perspective. Pirsig confuses the issue
by using both the present and the past tenses in narrating how DQ
created life from inorganic material by finding a weakness in the carbon
atom.
But my impression when I first read this passage was that it all happened
a long time ago. Now that I've reread the passage, that impression has
been confirmed. At the end, Pirsig writes:
"We see that he's (the chemistry professor) conducting his experiment
for exactly the same purpose as the subatomic forces had when they had
first began to create him billions of years ago. He's looking for
information that will expand the static patterns of evolution itself and give
both greater versatility and greater stability against hostile static forces of
nature. He may have personal motives such as 'pure fun,' that is, the
Dynamic Quality of his work. But when he applies for funds he will
normally and properly tie his request to some branch of humanity's
overall evolutionary purpose." (Lila, Chp. 11)
Taking the entire passage as a whole, my interpretation is that DQ once
battled the inorganic level "billions of years ago" and having successfully
freed itself from that static pattern by creating life has since gone on to
create more flexible and versatile patterns of society and intelligence in
order to enhance its creative function. DQ is motivated to move on
because, as Pirsig says:
"Its (DQ's) only perceived good is freedom and its only perceived evil is
static quality itself--any pattern of one-sided fixed values that tries to
contain and kill the ongoing free force of life" (Lila, Chp. 9)
So IMHO, �life,� and �living beings� and �human evolution" are where its
at for DQ now. It no longer has to struggle to get life out of a stone. Been
there, done that. It doesn't need those lower patterns anymore. And after
billions of years of same old, same old, the lower patterns could care less
that DQ has stepped up to better things.
But I could be wrong.
(I love the way you end your posts. Nothing reflects the dynamic aspect
of the MOQ quite so succinctly.) (-:
Platt
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