Just a month ago Rich came up with the idea of a conference next year in The Netherlands and I suggested to assist with the organisation (living in Holland) and to contribute a paper on F.S.C. Northrop.
Reconsidering the paper it seemed to me a far better idea to ask a real expert to explain to us the relation Northrop - Pirsig. So I got in email-contact with Fred Seddon, author of "An Introduction to the Philosophical Works of F.S.C. Northrop" and he answered immediately that we can count on him (if his schedule permits).
To remind you: A book of Filmer Stuart Cuckow Northrop contributed to Phaedrus'decision to study philosophy (ZMM, Chapter 11, page 108 Bantam paperback):
He wonders if it is that which is making it difficult to concentrate on the book before him, but realizes that no, the book is just hard. It's a text on Oriental philosophy and it's the most difficult book he's ever read. He's glad to be alone and bored in this empty troop compartment, otherwise he'd never get through it.
The book states that there's a theoretic component of man's existence which is primarily Western (and this corresponded to Phædrus' laboratory past) and an esthetic component of man's existence which is seen more strongly in the Orient (and this corresponded to Phædrus' Korean past) and that these never seem to meet. These terms "theoretic" and "esthetic" correspond to what Phædrus later called classic and romantic modes of reality and probably shaped these terms in his mind more than he ever knew. The difference is that the classic reality is primarily theoretic but has its own esthetics too. The romantic reality is primarily esthetic, but has its theory too. The theoretic and esthetic split is between components of a single world. The classic and romantic split is between two separate worlds. The philosophy book, which is called The Meeting of East and West, by F. S. C. Northrop, suggests that greater cognizance be made of the "undifferentiated aesthetic continuum" from which the theoretic arises.
Phædrus didn't understand this, but after arriving in Seattle, and his discharge from the Army, he sat in his hotel room for two whole weeks, eating enormous Washington apples, and thinking, and eating more apples, and thinking some more, and then as a result of all these fragments, and thinking, returned to the University to study philosophy. His lateral drift was ended. He was actively in pursuit of something now.
I don't know if Fred Seddon did read Lila yet (he has to) but in the Foreword of his book "An Introduction to the Philosophical Works of F.S.C. Northrop" he mentions ZMM as follows:
PREFACE
This is a personal record of a philosophical journey and it seems fitting that something be said about its genesis. In the second half of the 70s a dear man whose name I must shamefully admit to forgetting recommended that I read Robert Persig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Since I was at that time interested in neither Zen Buddhism nor motorcycles I ignored his recommendation. But he persisted and in an effort to induce me to read Persig's book, he loaned to me an old copy of The Times Literary Supplement in which Persig's book had been reviewed. I remember little of the review except its mention of Aristotle. Being (an remaining to this day) a lover of Aristotle (I eventually wrote my doctoral dissertation on him --as coincidentally did Northrop) I decided to purchase the book. Reading Persig's work changed my life in two respect--I bought my first motorcycle and I discovered
Filmer Stuart Cuckow Northrop. Persig's reference to Northrop occurs on pp. 123-4 of Zen and is to the book The Meeting of East and West of which more in due course. I ran to the library to get this work but as I was flipping throught the card catalogue I came across the title of another work by Northrop, viz., The Logic of the Science and the Humanities and being (and remaining to this day) a lover of logic (I eventually wrote my doctoral dissertation on logic) this was the book I took home that fateful day -- my first Northrop book. I have since read or acquired all of his important works; I have lectured and written articles on his thought and on Dec. 6, 1980 met himself. Although I arrived at his home unannounced, he ushered me into his study where we discussed his philosophy for five glorious hours. I have taught him to many bemused classes of students at Wheeling Jesuit College and have pondered his thoughts for years. This book is both an introduction to one of the great minds of the twentieth century and an extended thank you note.
Fred Seddon
Wheeling Jesuit College
Wheeling, WV
July, 1994
In my (Willem's) opinion important parts in Pirsig's Lila could be considered as a excellent kind of popularization of Northrop's more fundamental work. A study of Northrop's scientific ideas could give us a very sound background to understand Pirsig's inquiries (into values and morals) and his MoQ.
So my proposal is to ask Fred Seddon to talk about Pirsig's concepts in Lila and ZMM in the light of Northrop's philosophy. Maybe, this could be a opportunity, to paraphrase Northrop, "in truly Greek fashion to have thought run full circle" (Northrop-Pirsig-Northrop).
Apart from this proposal I think that we should choose a date and location soon. I don't mind going to some place in the USA to hear Seddon about Pirsig and Northrop.
Sorry for the long mail.
Willem Beekhuizen
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