Hello philosophers:
Here are just a few thoughts in response to Struan's assertions about
SOM.... You know, that its not really a metaphysics and its no big deal,
that no important thinkers take it seriously, etc.
I was extrememly skeptical of Struan's assertions right away, but took some
time to research the issue anyway. I thought his views contradicted
everything I knew about Philosophy and intellectual history, but hey, you
never know. A person can labor under misconceptions for years, even decades,
and then discover they were wrong. It happens. But not this time.
I did some re-search today and yesterday and have come to the conclusion
that agreement with Struan would require too much. Not only would I have to
get my money back from that terribly misleading college I'd attended so many
years ago, I'd have to disagree with every encyclopedia that I consulted
over the last couple of days. (Thanks for your encyclopedic post, Horse.)
I'd have to re-read both of Pirsig's books and re-think everything Pirsig
wrote. And I'd have to disagree with Dr Ronald DiSanto, the head of the
Philosophy department at Regis University. He seems to think this
Subject-Object issue is a pretty big deal. It just takes took much to agree
with Struan. I'd have to erase my mind or take some other drastic measure.
DiSanto is one of the authors of the "GUIDEBOOK TO ZAMM", where he wrote, on
p.176...
"Phaedrus reached the climax of his metaphysical thinking in the context of
facing a dilemma regarding the subjectivity or objectivity of Quality. ...
IF WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND ZMM'S PHILOSOPHICAL THRUST, SOONER OR LATER WE HAVE
TO PAY SOME ATTENTION TO THE MEANING OF SUBJECT-OBJECT TALK."
DiSanto puts this subject-object talk in the context of Western Philosophy,
mentioning everyone from Plato and Aristotle to Wittgenstien and the
Existentialists, Hume and Kant and even the Sophists. He describes all the
various isms that revolve around subject-object issues, how it relates to
"Phaedrus' rebuttal of scientific materialism". (p.182)
The only reason I'm worried about his assertions, dear reader, is that his
credentials could easily be mistaken for credibility.
Please don't let him fool or confuse you. Don't let him spoil the
conversation.
And don't be too surprized if he turns out to be a poser and a fake. Again.
Sorry Struan. Its nothing personal. But your posts are just so fantastically
wrong.
DMB
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