From: Steve Peterson (speterson@fast.net)
Date: Mon Jan 06 2003 - 15:23:30 GMT
Platt, Glenn, all,
Thanks, Platt, for digging up this quote.
Platt wrote:
> In Chapter 13 of Lila, Pirsig writes:
>
> "But what's not so obvious is that, given a value-centered Metaphysics
> of Quality, it is absolutely, scientifically moral for a doctor to prefer the
> patient. This is not just an arbitrary social convention that should apply
> to some doctors but not to all doctors, or to some cultures but not all
> cultures. It's true for all people at all times, now and forever, a moral
> pattern of reality as real as H20. We're at last dealing with morals on
> the basis of reason." (13)
>
> If that's not claiming the MOQ is scientific it comes mighty close. Also,
> note Pirsig's endorsement of absolute truth, "good for all people at all
> times, now and forever." Such endorsement is likely to give apoplexy to
> some on this site who believe with a kind of religious fanaticism that
> there are no absolutes, especially moral ones. (-:
Steve:
I have understood science as a method and as a body of knowledge and through
Pirsig as a collection of values for applying the method of science. Pirsig
took issue with the popular misconception that science is value-free.
(Glenn, do you disagree?)
I can't imagine that Pirsig could mean that the MOQ is scientific (i.e. a
part of science) but rather that science is a part of the MOQ.
Steve
MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archive - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Mon Jan 06 2003 - 16:20:39 GMT