From: Erin N. (enoonan@kent.edu)
Date: Sat Jan 25 2003 - 23:37:45 GMT
JAMES: So the universe has always appeared to the natural mind as a kind of
enigma, of which the key must be sought in the shape of some illuminating or
power-bringing word or name. That word names the universe's principle, and
to possess it is after a fashion to possess the universe itself. 'God,'
'Matter,' 'Reason,' 'the Absolute,' 'Energy,' are so many solving names.
You can rest when you have them. You are at the end of your metaphysical
quest. But if you follow the pragmatic method, you cannot look on any such
word
as closing your quest. You must bring out of each word its practical
cash-value, set it at work within the stream of your experience. It appears
less as a solution, then, than as a program for more work, and more
particularly as an indication of the ways in which existing realities may be
changed.
ERIN: Okay I am not completely understanding the idea
that metaphysics suggests once you possess a word
you are at the end of a quest.
In thinking about something Campbell said about
metaphors---"As a result we have people who consider themselves believers
because they accept metaphors as facts, and we have others who classify
themselves as atheists because they are lies."
For some reason this reminds me of this issue.
It seems like you are a believer if you
believe the metaphor , Quality is reality,as fact and you are
an atheist if you believe it is a lie.
So basically I was wondering if
absolutist/pragmatic corresponded with
the fact/lie stance? Not sure if
its fair to say pragmatic would consider
it a "lie" though?
It seems also that Pirsig/metaphysics are
saying the same as Campbell, which is
neither a 'fact' or 'lie' stance.
"God is a metaphor for that which trancends all levels of intellectual
thought.
It's as simple as that." Joseph Campbell
Seems you could also insert love, quality, in place of
God.
-----------------------------------
JC: "No," I said, "I tell you it's metaphorical. You give me an example of a
metaphor."
I:He replied, "You give me an example."
JC: I resisted, "No, I'm asking the question this time." I had not taught
school for thirty years for nothing. "And I want you to give me an example of
a metaphor."
I:The interviewer was utterly baffled and even went so far as to say, "Let’s
get in touch with some school teacher." Finally, with something like a minute
and a half to go, he rose to the occasion and said, "I'll try. My friend John
runs very fast. People say he runs like a deer. There's a metaphor."
JC:As the last seconds of the interview ticked off, I replied, "That is not
the metaphor. The metaphor is: John is a deer."
I:He shot back, "That's a lie."
JC: "No," I said, "That is a metaphor."And the show ended. What does that
incident suggest about our common understanding of metaphor?It made me reflect
that half the people in the world think that the metaphors of their religious
traditions, for example, are facts. And the other half contends that they are
not facts at all. As a result we have people who consider themselves believers
because they accept metaphors as facts, and we have others who classify
themselves as atheists because they don't.
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