Everyone,
DMB asked:
>Why doesn't the free-will issue come up in the MOQ? THAT IS THE QUESTION.
I think this can be well answered: according to Pirsig, there is no
independent "self" which has a "will", and so there is no question of
whether that will can be "free", or "determined".
Pirsig makes it very clear that in the MOQ reality is "composed" of Dynamic
Quality and four levels of static patterns of value. My understanding is
that the concept entailed by "free will", namely that of rational
deliberation and mental choice by an "I", is contained in the concept of
"intellectual patterns of value" primarily, though of course all three lower
levels are necessary for that mental "act of choosing". That act of choosing
can be seen, in the light of the MOQ, as a complex interaction (pattern) of
P,B,S and I value-events.
I myself would add that the Quality Event to which some statement of "will"
applies is most clearly understood as MORE OR LESS Dynamic, or, equally,
more or less static. Pirsig, however, does not seem to allow the two
concepts of static and Dynamic to "mix" or exist in degrees in this way. At
least, he does not do so explicitly. But that's another story.
So - "free" and "determined" are what? Dualistic terms, implying the kind of
"yes/no" situation which, as P tells us, is exactly what Zen tries to avoid.
And if my hunch is correct, and Zen is central to an understanding of
Pirsig's writing, then we would be well advised to hold ourselves back from
beating our Cartesian heads against this non-substantial wall.
It's not even that we, at the intellectual level, are more free, or less
determined, than at the social and other lower levels - rather, we can
finally breathe "free" (language, language, language!!!) of Playpus-stink by
understanding us to be more Dynamic, or less static, as "we operate" on
higher levels of evolutionary value.
Rog asked:
>> > 4) As succinctly as possible, what is the resolution to the free will
> > issue?
There is no will in the Cartesian (SOM) sense.
There are patterns of value and Dynamic Quality.
There is much confusion when we use language carelessly.
There is much work to do in the clarification of P's philosophy.
We might begin by coming to grips with the idea of anatman/no-soul.
Rich
PS - for all of us with "significant others": remember when you first
fell in love? (as I am falling) well, need ye any better proof
of the existence of DQ? You just never know. One day last week,
a normal day, a regular, dull, static ol' Wednesday, I met this
beautiful woman...
...thank (uh... Go(o)d) for change and evolution.
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