I have worked out several of the ideas but feel that I am not up to the
thesis/essay stage. I would like therefore to discuss the ideas instead. I
have found with previous experiences that this is a very good way to develop
ideas so I do look forward to this discussion. Also, I'm very sure that any
departure from the relationship to Pirsig's MoQ will be met by several
correctional 'taps' back into this vacinity.
First thing, it is my belief that Quality and Action are one and the same.
Now, before this is met swiftly by criticism I would like to explain.
Neither Quality, nor Action can be placed within the realms of Subject or
Object. Quality and Action both give rise to subjects and objects. Quality
can be subdivided into Dynamic and Static Quality. Action can be subdivided
to Is (Static Quality) and Do (Dynamic Quality). I think this should be
sufficient to show relevance to Pirsig's MoQ.
Second thing, there are quite a few ways I can go with this idea but I would
like to try and stay close to what has already been said in the MoQ for now.
I have seen lately that you've all been talking about 'Free Will' - a topic
I have gone into myself a little.
As far as I can make out, I am no scholar so this may be wrong, the doctrine
of 'free will' we have been left with has been passed to us from an age
where it's aim was to stage rational fortification against tyranny. Thus it
comes to us with the emphasis of 'freedom of choice' and 'freedom to do'.
While I remain sympathetic with the emotions this kind of understanding
allows for, I believe they've got it slightly backwards. Pirsig points out
that in the MoQ there is no rivalry between determinism and free will. This
is an understanding I can find agreement with and perhaps I can shed a
little more light on the subject.
As I said before, I believe that they've got it slightly backwards. The part
that gets me in the doctrine of free will is the Freedom before Will. When
you put freedom before Will it is synonymous to an idea of uncontrolled
Will. Uncontrolled Will is Will without foundation. That's essentially crazy
or chaotic Will. But in reality, there is no 'I' that blows in the wind. I
am firmly rooted under my development.
So, when I expand to the realization that Bounty - the quilted quicker
picker upper- is a great paper towel, there has been a Quality event or
moment of Action that has reorganized my stable patterns of Value. But there
afterward it can be seen that since my patterns of Value are stable, I will
be searching out Bounty before all other brands. And until the stability of
my patterns of Value is weakened, Bounty is my determined choice.
Another aspect of the Free Will doctrine that becomes confused because of
the placement of Free before Will is the assumption that when you put a Will
into Freedom, it will flourish. Not so. Freedom is not something you can be
born into. As Pirsig points out, Freedom is escape from something negative.
Expanding a little on this idea, Freedom is growth from that of lesser
Quality. Because Growth is a derivative of Quality or Action, Will is not a
derivative of Freedom (Case in point: America), Freedom is a derivative of
Will.
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