RE: MD Absolutes and Generalities

From: Erin N. (enoonan@kent.edu)
Date: Wed Jan 29 2003 - 03:45:53 GMT

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    >===== Original Message From moq_discuss@moq.org =====
    >Erin,
    >
    >Erin said:
    >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.
    >
    >Matt:
    >Fair enough. This actually makes interpreting ZMM all the more interesting
    >with the dynamic between the narrator and Phaedrus. But then, of course,
    >being as there is no Pirsig in the books, only Phaedrus (as continuous
    >through to Lila), it might be fairer to say that the MoQ is a creation of
    >Phaedrus, but where does that leave us with the philosophy? Does it change
    >it all that much? It may create built-in irony in the books (which only
    >fuels my preferred reading), but what about the SODV paper? There is no
    >Phaedrus there and I'm not sure the philosophy changes all that much.
    >
    >And its not just that quote. There are many other places (of which Platt
    >has tapped the tip of the iceberg) that Pirsig talks like this. The "now
    >and forever" quote simply gives us a suggestion as to how we should
    >interpret all the other more ambiguous places. Now, I favor reading out
    >all the "now and forever" parts, but I still want to insist that we keep in
    >mind the ambiguities.
    >
    >Matt
    >

    Can you give me an example where you think
    Pirsig suggests you should take MOQ in a
    absolute sense. Sometimes I think Platt stayed up one night
    going page by page looking for the word absolute and probably did a little jig
    when he finally found it.

    Erin

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