PIRSIG:
"Good is an noun ... the ultimate Quality isn't a noun, or an adjective or
anything else definable, but if you had to reduce the whole Metaphysics of
Quality to a single sentence, that would be it." (Lila Page 468)
CHRIS:
I still say there isn't such a thing a "ultimate Quality." Quality yes,
"ultimate Quality" no. It's that "ultimate" modifier there before "Quality"
that bugs me; it's redundant, it's confusing, it's unnecessary.
RICK:
I take it that you are easily confused.
CARMINE:
The words 'Ultimate Quality' maybe are used to describe Quality at a
particular point in TIME.
RICK:
Agreed... only I would say the words 'ultimate Quality' are used to describe
Quality at a particular point in CONVERSATION. As we can see in the above
quote Pirsig had just refered to Quality as a noun (actually he refered to
'Good' as noun, strange that he chose to substitute 'Good' for his favorite
pet word at this point but....). This assertation could be easily confusing
to anyone who's just read the book.... A "noun" is a pattern of language...
language is a static Social PoV. So if you're reading literally, Pirsig's
statement seems to boil down to "Quality is a Static Social Pattern of
Value".... Of course he will need to remind us that this is just a poetic
summary!!! The Quality he was talking about through his 2 books --- the
'ultimate' Quality, is bigger than language and can never be contained in
words (or nouns)... somewhere in ZMM he reminds us that when you think
you're talking about Quality you're always talking about something less. Try
reading the quote without the word "ultimate'... it's twice as
confusing..... "[Quality] is a noun.... Of course, Quality isn't a noun...."
CHRIS:
I see an image of a philosophologist standing at a podium before a class,
pointing a finger at the ceiling and speaking of "ultimate Quality," words
floating down the silient and hallowed halls of the Church of Reason. Passé
indeed.
RICK:
That passe' philosophologist you imagine is in reality none other than
ROBERT MAYNARD PIRSIG.
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