Hi Rog, Mary, and all
ROG:
BTW, I don't think that the problem is so much with scientific methodology,
as much as it is with overly-simplistic paradigms that people have based on
the unstated assumptions of science that are then misapplied outside of
non-objective realms (I use "objective" as publicly verifiable.)
JON:
I think I agree. The sci-method in and of itself isn't the problem. I think
of the scientific method as a tool, much like the wrench on the cover of ZMM.
It's the relationship between the man and the tool that matters. The man's
attitude is the tool's attitude.
A few months ago Glenn and I exchanged a few posts about this. He thinks (if
I remember correctly) that Pirsig views science as a "respected adversary." I
disagree. Pirsig's problem has never been science or even the scientific
method. His problem has been with our modern attitudes about science.
I still want someone to explain to me how science can be the most respected
authority when it comes to the "search for truth" despite one of the tenets
of science being there IS no absolute truth. According to science there is
not one 100% proven airtight fact in existence. Not a single one. That's a
bit disconcerting considering we're supposed to look for science to find
truth.
It's not the scientists doing the work of science that is a bad thing. It's
the trickle down effect I mentioned in my last post that is troubling. I used
the rich/poor analogy. Intellect is the elite class, and what the collective
intellect produces trickles down to society, eventually trickling down into
our individual lives (intellect to society to biology). All the great
inventions of the 20th century are good examples of what I'm talking about:
the automobile, the telephone, the internet. Each of these inventions born by
the intellect and adopted by society.
But it's not just inventions and technology that trickle down from intellect
to society. It's methods of thinking and values that also inevitably trickle
down. Science relies on the scientific method, and as Pirsig says (LILA page
60): "Science has no values. Not officially."
So the result is ever-increasing technology, greater comfort and longer
life-spans, but also a subtle dissipation of moral values. Even Struan
acknowledged the tendency of people to view each other as objects (his only
major gripe has been with the SO duality being classified as a metaphysics).
If moral values are, in fact, slowly dissipating, then it's not an unfair
stretch to suggest the cold objective nature of the scientific method has
something to do with it. Science has given us all this comfort and technology
we value and depend on, yet morals seem to provide us with nothing but bad
feelings when we feel we've done something wrong. Hence morality is becoming
more of a burden that each new generation is finding easier and easier to
shrug off or simply abandon, while cold objectivism gains popularity. And
with all the comfort it has provided us, how could it *not* gain popularity?
A year or so ago, the modern library announced the 100 best novels published
since 1900. There was two lists, one by the critics and one by the public.
The top two books picked by the critics were ULYSSES by James Joyce and THE
GREAT GATSBY by Zelda Fitzgerald. Not surprising choices, since these are
considered two of the greatest novels in American Literature.
But guess what the public chose as the two best novels? ATLAS SHRUGGED and
THE FOUNTAINHEAD by Annie Rand. And the number three spot was given to a book
written by L. Ron Hubbard of "Dianetics" fame (the man who founded the church
of Scientology, who worship an alien by the name of Zeno).
While Hubbard and the church of Zeno can be harmlessly viewed as an amusing
cult, the millions of readers who have been influenced by the writing of
Annie Rand isn't quite as funny. It's troubling that so many are apparently
inspired by her Objectivist philosophy. It's cold-hearted stuff, folks.
The fact that readers voted two books by Ayn Rand as the best two of the
century says something profound about what people value today, and where
values may be headed in the future. BTW Zen and the Art of Motorcycle
Maintenence came in at number 73. (Note: This list of the 100 best books
chosen by the public becomes even more troubling when you take into the
account the shrinking percentage of people who even bother to read books
anymore. Those few who *are* reading choose books by Rand as their favorites!
Spooky.)
I worry sometimes that the reason so many people have embraced the works of
Ayn Rand is because she reinforces a belief already held by many people deep
down: That you don't have to care about anyone but yourself.
Jon
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