RE: MD Absolutes and Generalities

From: Erin N. (enoonan@kent.edu)
Date: Wed Jan 29 2003 - 01:01:00 GMT

  • Next message: Matt the Enraged Endorphin: "RE: MD Absolutes and Generalities"

    Well I know this has been pointed out many
    times before but isn't it fair to consider
    that quote is from Phaedrus not Pirsig's
    perspective. I think its not very good to put so much
    weight on a single quote by a character.
    Especially what Pirsig said about identifying
    him with a character.

    Erin

    >Kevin, Platt,
    >
    >Kevin said after the series of Pirsig quotes:
    >I think you can read "absolutely" in these quotes as "completely" or
    "utterly".
    >
    >Matt:
    >The only reason I hesitate to read Pirsig as saying "completely" or
    >"utterly" is because (and I love beating Platt to the punch on this) the
    >full quote of Pirsig is:
    >
    >"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...."
    >
    >It's tempting to say, "Well, Pirsig just meant to emphatically endorse the
    >MoQ solution," but I'm coming to think that Pirsig really did mean,
    >"Absolutely, now and forever." This is why I think there's a tremendous
    >tension between the above quote and the "rectangular/polar coordinates"
    >analogy and, pace Scott, I don't think a third path is suggested to bring
    >the two pieces together.
    >
    >So, while I'm certainly sympathetic to reading "absolutely" as "completely"
    >or "utterly" (and I might do just that when reading those sections), I
    >think it's important to keep in mind the tension.
    >
    >Matt
    >
    >
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