Re: MD Pirsig on human nature

From: David L Thomas (dlt44@ipa.net)
Date: Tue Jun 08 1999 - 14:07:52 BST


Platt,Struan,Ian et al
[Platt]
> The liberal vs. conservative arguments that have captured many of the
> posts recently are a reflection of the basic moral questions that Pirsig
> raises in the above passages from Lila. Like Ian, I'm confused, not only
> about original human nature as Pirsig sees it (does original human nature
> have good ideas?), but also about how Pirsig views the role of the state
> and how Pirsig's evolutionary morality can help settle many of the
> individual vs. state issues we’ve been arguing about.

I too have been following the political/ state/ education/ conservative/
liberal/ discussions with interest. John Dewey in "The Need for Recovery of
Philosophy" says:
        "When it is understood that philosophic thinking is caught up in the actual
        course of events, having the office of guiding them towards a prosperous
        issue, problems will abundently present themselves."

As they are "abundently" doing as each of us attempts to apply the basics of
MoQ's to our everyday events. Dewey continues:

        "Philosophy will not solve these problems; philosophy is vision, imagination,
        reflection-and these functions, apart from action modify nothing and hence
        resolve nothing. But in a more complicated and perverse world, which is not
        informed with vision, imagination, and reflection, is more likely to increase
        confusion and conflict than to straighten things out."

I think most would agree that the MoQ's "reflection" on reality is passably
understandable and corresponds reasonably well with our collective and individual
experience. The divergence occurs on interpreting MoQ's vision, or is it;
Pirsig's vision? and are two necessarily the same?
 
I would echo Struan's seniment:

> It might be a good idea for us to try and sort this one out as a group,although > the quality of the debate so far doesn't bode well for our chances I'm afraid
> to say.

Dave Thomas

MOQ Online Homepage - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
Unsubscribe - http://www.moq.org/md/index.html
MD Queries - horse@wasted.demon.nl



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:03:05 BST