Levellers, In the analysis of static patterns, the four levels of 'static patterns of value' is a fairly accurate representation of what can presumed to be an ideal hierarchy of ascending moral order of 'static patterns of value'. This moral hierarchy in its correct sense can also be viewed as reflecting "Human Justice", the failure of which means that an inbuilt Justice mechanism inherent in Reality automatically takes over. Now the only problem before MOQ is that in the current Reality of this world, this hierarchy has failed to reflect an ascending moral order, and an even bigger problem is that this truth is not even acknowledged by those who are in control of or dominating this world, not only (mainly) in the western but also in the eastern world. Strangely, the reason for this lack of realisation is very different in the two cases whereas the cause is the same - the moral failure of the Social level (ie Societies) to care for and assume responsibility for the Biological Level- not only human but also plant and animal life.Now you may say that this is grossly unfair, but Reality says that the gift of "intellegence" also comes with a price tag that has to be paid sooner or "later with interest". This untenable situation, if realised, becomes a terryfying prospect for a living human being, and if not realised, makes them members of the machine world where there are endless prospects of entertainment. To understand this moral failure, an examination of the Biological level is vital, but first of all one must also be clear in this analysis about what is meant by 'static patterns' and 'static patterns of value'. STATIC PATTERNS can said to be in simplest terms as an arrangement of data having an underlying order or form. This may be in the form of language, symbols visuals, sound , sensations, etc - in other words the FORM of static patterns is primarily SENSORY - that is related to the senses. Even non-sensory experiences are given form in terms and relation to sensory data - but that clearly becomes a secondary static pattern not neccessarily a true representative or even close to the original experience.Thus in a proper sense Static Patterns are elements of sensory or sensory related perception in a particular order or having an underlying order or construct. STATIC PATTERNS OF VALUE are thus static patterns having a value assigned to them. It is clear that for a particular static pattern, the value assignment can vary considerably from individual to individual, from Society to Society and more so from culture to culture. It is therefore appropriate to conclude that VALUE ASSIGNMENT to static patterns is ultimately the internal function of an individual, although no doubt many if not all values held by an individual are those that are acquired from society through 'education '. An individual can reassign values to static patterns imposed by society if the individual is sufficiently "free", but even then the underlying order(cultural construct) of these static patterns is even more difficult to be free from. THE BIOLOGICAL LEVEL : Of all levels , the biological level is the most relevant because it is under-rated in its importance, for the belief that seems to prevail every where, including MOQ forums, is that humans have well and truly transcended this level completely ( for has'nt society advanced like a rocket?). Nothing can be further from the truth. Hopefully, at least MOQers realise, that first of all, humans are "biological beings " and secondly a species of "animals" but with an advanced brain which makes humans more "intellegent", particularly much more rational , although with technological advancement the "instinctive" aspect has (in my opinion) diminished or devolved to below other animals levels. Now i have no quarrel with those who believe that the "instinctive" has no value or negative value in "advanced societies",for they are welcome to the totally mechanistic world in which they live - adoring their machines to which they have become slaves and also more and more mimicking their masters. So what does it mean to be a biological being ? It means that a being is "born" in an "environment", has a physical form "a body" , an inbuilt mechanism provided by "nature" for the survival of its body, interacts with its environment , that is , takes in something and gives out something else, and having a limited life span, "dies", although usually reluctantly. Hopefully this is simple enough to be agreed upon by most MOQers though some will say that "body" , "environment", "nature" "birth" and "death" are all illusory conceptions of SOMish thinking. I will therefore proceed with the assumption that for the purpose of analysis these are valid conceptions. So first of all comes the consideration as to what constitutes "Biological Patterns of Value". For the sake of simplcity, i am considering here Animal life having a nervous system which has inbuilt static patterns for survival, reproduction , etc and a "potential for intellegence". It is clear that for any biological being there have to be a minimum of inbuilt "static patterns of value" whose "value" is the survival of the physical body of the biological being. REWARD and PUNISHMENT - In order to study the effect and operation of these inbuilt biological patterns for survival, the most important factor is how the Value assignment takes place. In beings with a nervous system, the value assignment systems are the reward and punishment centres of the nervous system, where the perception of pain and pleasure occurs. Thus in a newly born being, those sensory input patterns that cause pain are ASSOCIATED with Negative Value (to be avoided ) and those sensory input patterns that result in pleasure are associated with Positive Value (to be sought or "persued"). These associations also constitute the basic emotional responses of a biological being and become the fundamental DRIVING FORCES for subsequent associations and value assignments that become more and more complex as the structure of static patterns develops and grows. This DRIVING FORCE OF SURVIVAL more often than not comes into opposition of the MORAL FORCE , and Moral Dynamic Value can only be attained if the Driving force of Survival is subservient to the Moral Force. At first sight this appears to be a very basic and simple mechanism, seemingly valid only in the early stages of life, but once again far from the truth. For one, these early and basic associations become buried into the sub-conscious where they operate without conscious volition and therefore inaccessible, and secondly, most subsequent and secondary associations are offshoots or links to these. Thus it develops to a stage whereby even "pain" or negative value is sought for in anticipation of subsequent high positive value or pleasure. Therfore it can be concluded that the effect of these survival static patterns of value continues till the death of a being, although these can be to varying degrees brought under conscious control of a central self, but is nevertheless very difficult to accomplish, requiring a lot of effort and time. So if someone claims that he/she has completely transcended "biological patterns of value", it would almost certainly be an example of self delusion. But even if the effects of the operation of biological patterns of value are consciously realised, some degree of control is possible, and it definitely then becomes far easier to transcend social and cultural patterns. In conclusion i have tried to show in this post that biological patterns of value are the most important and fundamental of all static patterns, the most difficult to transcend or bring under dynamic control of the self, but even if the operation of these are consciously realised to some extent, the road ahead becomes easier. Lastly i would like to add that biological patterns of value should not be confused with "instinct" which is a purely dynamic attribute of a biological being - something that Pirsig refers to as the 'intellegence of the cells' in Lila. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. MOQ.org - http://www.moq.org
