Hi, Moffers (cute one, this, thanks Marco), This idea came to me while I was reading something in Principia Cybernetica about Control. It states that a new level can be recognized because it controls the evolution of the lower one. Until now, the intellectual static latching was done by Belief. Whether this process was described by the notion of Faith or by the postulation of axioms, Belief was the grounding for any internally coherent world-view. As described by Imre Lakatos (or was it Kuhn ?) the scientific evolution is done by setting a program, which core beliefs AREN'T discussed, but accepted. When greater and greater amount of data no longer fits under the program, then the core beliefs come under attack until a new program is defined (this is short and incomplete, but bear with me). This fits anything SOM has produced, and it fits the MOQ to a certain extent. The difference is that the core belief of the MOQ is unassailable, because it is undefined. Quality must be left out of any discussion. No ontology of it can exist. The metaphysics Pirsig described is not supported by Belief, but by an intuitive sense of its 'Goodness'. We can't forget that we are creating a Intellectual pattern of Values. That we say what we say not because it is true, but because it is useful (I know this has been attacked, but last month discussion will take care of that). Therefore, any axiomatics that is presented under a MOQ mind will have to answer a simple questions : Is it internally coherent (can we find logical contradictions in it ?) ? How much of our experiences does this explains ? Note that the core axioms aren't discussed for their validity. It's the overall coherence of the system presented that is put to the test. The reason why many truths can exist under the MOQ is because no axiom has to be true. This is deemed irrelevent under the MOQ because truth doesn't exist in its SOM sense. The MOQ redefined it as "Good Intellectual pattern of value", thus making it non-exclusive. Therefore, any formal system can be presented under the new MOQ awareness, and the worth of it will be determined by how much we like it and like to work with it. It is the pragmatic approach of MOQ. So, since the Intellect is all about giving meaning to our experiences, and that the MOQ controls the process of intellectual evolution, under the Principia Cybernetica definition, it is a new level. The problem is that it is supposed to evolve on its own, and to create new patterns for itself. Perhaps this could be intellectual means of accessing DQ more easily. If we know how to access DQ more easily, we'll be able to assess the goodness of a formal system with greater certitude than before. DQ removes subjectivity, remember ? Subjectivity is too SOMish, but I could phrase this by : it removes the constraints static patterns put on my awareness of Quality. Thus, the overall Quality of a formal system would be more readily apparent to us. Meditation, hypnotism, trances are studied more and more frequently nowadays. Could the MOQ evolve into better ways of accessing DQ ? This would be a case of symbols supporting mystic awareness. In this view the MOQ would be the 'machine-code' between intellect and the fifth level. Who knows what we'll find in there ? New senses, a global brain, new worlds ? I think it's too early to speak about it, but I hope I'm right. Be good, and dream ! Denis MOQ.org - http://www.moq.org
