Gav: > isn't the idea of limited freedom, oxymoronic?
No. The citizens of communist China have limited freedom compared to citizens of the U.K. > the nature of the moral hierarchy of the MOQ requires > some careful explanation, lest it becomes that which > it preaches against: an explicit moral code, ie an > ideology. Indeed the MOQ moral hierarchy requires careful explanation which is why we are discussing it in this forum. Examples that apply the MOQ's moral structure to real life situations is part of that explanation as Pirsig demonstrates in Lila. Among such examples of apply the MOQ moral structure: doctors vs.diseases, vegetarianism, self-defense, U.S. Civil War, capital punishment, and Lila herself. Many further examples are offered such as Pirsig's explanation of the the downfall of the hippies and the low quality of the today's culture. > this is not what the MOQ is for. the MOQ is a > descriptive, rather than a prescriptive tool. Yes, the MOQ sets no hard and fast rules. But in regard to moral issues it is certainly a suggestive tool, giving us a rational rather than a religious framework within which to work out moral questions. That in itself is a giant intellectual step forward. Pirsig puts it clearly: "The structuring of morality into evolutionary levels suddenly gives shape to all kinds of blurred and confused moral ideas that are floating around in our present cultural heritage. "Vice" is an example. In an evolutionary morality the meaning of vice is quite clear. Vice is a conflict between biological quality and social quality. Things like sex and booze and drugs and- tobacco have a high biological quality, that is, they feel good, but are harmful for social reasons. They take all your money. They break up your family. They threaten the stability of the community." (Lila, 13) Platt 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.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
