| ROGER FINALLY GETS TO HIS DEFINITION OF THE INTELLECTUAL LEVEL
Below is my definition of the distinction between patterns and INTELLECTUAL patterns. 1) Patterns are simplifications derived from the complex stream of experience. All life attends to and selects and simplifies experience into those patterns of most importance. Moving black dot = food for a frog. Electric can opener sound = food for my cat. 2) The intellectual processes known as science, logic, math, philosophy, etc. are the systematic processes of discovering, creating, or testing patterns. These processes were developed out of society and refined through the combined learnings of some of the greatest minds of all time, including Aristotle, Galileo, Kepler, Descartes and Popper. (Unfotunately, until recently they have tended to follow SOM to the core) 3) Intellectual patterns are those that have been created and "proven" via these systematic intellectual processes. 4) Intellectual patterns can be applied to the other levels. Indeed, this was their original purpose. Note that the intellectual level is directly related to the pattern forming process and the systematic ART of distinguishing the Quality of a pattern. What distinguishes a good pattern? Below are some of the commonly recognized features of good intellectual/scientific theories: SIMPLIFICATION -- One key characteristic is in its ability to SIMPLIFY -- to compress data into a usable form. In the words of physicist/metaphysicist David Deutsch: “One comparatively simple and comprehensible theory can cover an infinity of indigestible facts.” The philosophic term for this quality in science is "Occam's razor". All other things being equal, a good pattern should avoid unnecessary complications, should be universal rather than particular to a certain place or time, it should be relatively easy to apply and devoid of extraneous baggage. Aesthetically, it should be elegant, not held together with chewing-gum and string. VERSATILITY -- Another quality is a pattern's VERSATILITY. For example, how many different ways can a pattern be used? How adaptable is the pattern to other environments or circumstances? Science, math, philosophy and metaphysics are full of examples of how patterns from different fields are found to have applications in ways never imagined when the meme/pattern was first formulated. TRUTH -- Another feature of a quality pattern that is widely recognized in all intellectual patterns is TRUTH. This is covered extensively in the writings of James and Pirsig. In SOM, truth often means objective laws that float out there like some idealistic platonic form. In the MOQ, we know that truth "is one species of good" that involves a pattern's correlation with experience and other patterns. In the famous words of James: "Realities are not true, they ARE; and beliefs are true of them." Intellectual patterns also need to correlate with other theories or other intellectual patterns. James writes extensively on how new intellectual patterns can sometimes conflict with other theories and beliefs. He explains how we adjust our beliefs and graft the new one in a way that minimizes disturbance to our basic belief structure while also encompassing the new pattern. Pirsig and James also refer to this as "harmony". MEASURABILITY/TESTABILITY -- Another characteristic of a good intellectual pattern is its testability. Good theories are usually measurable, quantifiable and falsifiable. A falsifiable scientific theory is always chosen over an equal but unfalsifiable one. RELEVENCE -- Remember Pirsig's example of the biology professor's application for research grants? James calls this pragmatism, and built an entire philosophy around it. I recommend every MOQ'er be familiar with James. Based upon the above qualities, science, philosophy, logic, math etc have evolved through the process of evolutionary epistimology as espoused by Karl Popper. (Blackmore would call it a special case of memetic evolutionary theory). IN SUMMARY: The intellectual level concerns a systematic methodology to create better and better patterns out of reality. It also applies to the patterns that are derived through this process. In memetic terms, the intellectual level involves the evolution of the best memetic processes to discover, create and test other memes. Math, science, logic and philosophy all involve the systematic development and study of memetic pattern creation. Theories, theorems and postulates are simplified intellectual models that allow us to identify, learn, categorize, record and apply our experience. Through this methodology, higher quality ideas evolve. Please let me know your thoughts, Roger ***** "No theory is an absolute transcript of reality, but...may from some point of view be useful. Their great use is to summarize old facts and lead to new ones." William James ****** |
