Quoting [EMAIL PROTECTED]:

> [Platt]
> > The criteria for nudity being biological for humans is its close 
> > association 
> > with the sexual act. If it turned out that it was intellectual, then yes, it
> would be
> > wrong for society to prohibit it. On what basis would you determine that
> public
> > nudity was intellectual? 
> 
> One possibility is free expression.

Intellectually I wouldn't categorize public nudity as freedom of speech. But, 
some
may rightfully differ. The lines between levels are fuzzy to say the least. 

>  This raises a question about Pirsig's levels.
>  Suppose an individual's sexual fulfillment is biological & is being 
> surpressed by
> society (wearing burkas, genital mutilation, foot binding, whatever.)  Is it 
> good
> for society to do this just because it's at a higher level?
> Craig

Excellent question. Where do you draw the line when it comes to social
control of biological pleasures? In fact, you raise a broader question which has
been discussed here before, namely how do you separate the moral levels? For
example, Pirsig defines the intellectual level as the collection and 
manipulation
of symbols created in the brain. Wouldn't many biologists argue that such was a
biological function? Pirsig wrote in the introduction to "Lila's Child:"

"I've concluded that the biggest improvement I could make in the MOQ would be to
block the notion that the MOQ claims to be a quaick fix for every moral problem
in the universe." 

And compares the MOQ to our judicial system by concluding:

"Our whole judicial systems rests on the presumption that more than one set of
conclusions about individual cases can be drawn within a given set of moral
rules. The MOQ makes the same presumption."

So, I guess the answers to the questions you raise above is to let a jury 
decide.
Further, many an argument on this forum whereby both sides appeal to the MOQ
to support their views must, in the end, be decided by a well-chosen jury.

Then the question becomes, what criteria would one use for choosing such a 
jury? 

What do you think?

PlattA

 



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