I concur that Phaedrus and Pirsig are one. If nothing else, it can be made
quite apparent through the fact that Pirsig is the author of ZMM and uses
the first person, and then through the quote at the beginning of the book:
"What follows is based on actual occurrences. Although much has been changed
for rhetorical purposes, it must be regarded in its essence as fact."
Whether or not Phaedrus and Pirsig are factually one person is irrelevant,
as this quote shows.
But past the factual idea, in my opinion, yes they are the same person :)
Brian
----- Original Message -----
From: "Platt Holden" <pholden@cbvnol.net>
To: <moq_discuss@moq.org>
Sent: Sunday, July 08, 2001 10:48 AM
Subject: MD Phaedrus fictional?
> Hi Rasheed, Dan, 3WD, All:
>
> Amazing isn't it? Here are four reasonably intelligent people reading
> the same book and coming to diametrically opposed conclusions.
> Rasheed and I say Phaedrus and Pirsig are the same "real" person
> while Dan and 3WD say Phaedrus is fictional. 3WD even goes so far
> as to say that in LILA "all the characters and none of the characters are
> Pirsig," creating his own Zen koan.
>
> Now wait a minute, fellas. We've seen over and over again that we can
> twist and shape the MOQ to suit our preconceptions. If it's one thing we
> can agree on it's that the MOQ is malleable to almost any point of view.
> But this disagreement about the identity of Phaedrus doesn't fit the
> category of "whatever turns you on."
>
> First, I assume (with some trepidation) that we can all agree that Pirsig
> himself is real and that he is the legitimate author of ZMM and LILA.
>
> Second, we have much evidence in LILA that Phaedrus, the author, and
> Pirsig are all one and the same real person. In Chapter 6, for instance,
> there are numerous references to the "author" of a Quality
> metaphysics. Who could the author be but Pirsig?
>
> But, is the author also Phaedrus? Consider these two quotes:
>
> " 'Tell me,' he said, 'do you really and sincerely believe that Lila
Blewitt
> has Quality?' The author thought for a long time. 'Yes,' he said." (Chp.
6)
>
> " 'Whew, this was some idol,' Phaedrus thought . . . 'You're the winner,
> you know,' the idol said. 'You did one moral thing on this whole trip
> which saved you.' ' What was that?' 'You told Rigel that Lila had
Quality.'
> " (Chp. 32)
>
> In the first quote it was the author who said Lila had Quality. In the
> second quote it was Phaedrus being praised for saying Lila had
> Quality. (Yes, the idol is definitely fictional.)
>
> To belabor the obvious, the "author" is Pirsig. The author says Lila has
> Quality. Later, Phaedrus is praised for saying Lila has Quality. Ergo,
> Pirsig and Phaedrus are the same person.
>
> I know logic is rarely convincing. So for further evidence I call to the
> stand several expert witnesses.
>
> From the New York Times Book Review of LILA by Richard Restak:
> " 'Lila. An Inquiry into Morals' continues the intellectual journey, but
in
> this novel the philosopher-author who calls himself Phaedrus is at the
> helm of a sailboat rather than astride a motorcycle."
>
> From the Forum-review of LILA by Galen Strawson:
> " In LILA as in ZMM, Pirsig is his own hero. He is Phaedrus . . ."
>
> From the Forum-review by Dan Cryer:
> "LILA: An Inquiry into Morals is part clone, part sequel. This
> NONFICTION work chronicles in novelistic fashion another of the
> author's trips while recyling his ideas on the nature of reality."
> (emphasis added)
>
> With all this evidence I think any jury (outside Los Angeles) would
> conclude the Pirsig and Phaedrus are but two names for the same
> living, breathing individual.
>
> If we can't agree on this, is there anything we can agree on about the
> MOQ? Or are we just having fun flapping our gums over a metaphysics
> that no one really understands? (Not that I'm knocking the high Quality
> of having fun.)
>
> Platt
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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