Re: MD Pirsig the postmodernist?

From: Matthew Stone (mattstone_2000@yahoo.co.uk)
Date: Mon Feb 24 2003 - 16:09:12 GMT

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    Platt said:
    > Perhaps you could explain to us why self and human
    > rationality are
    > "problematic notions."
    > "Self"and "truth" are "problematic concepts?" How
    > so? What other
    > concepts are problematic as indicated by your phrase
    > "and so on?"

    Self, truth, rationality, absolute morals, absolute
    values, ideal systems - these are all concepts that
    see man as the centre of thought. They see man as
    someone who can truly understand and master reality, a
    man whose view on the world is pure, a clear lens
    through which reality can be seen, understood and
    analysed without being tainted.

    Are you asserting that this is true? Do you deny that
    truth, morals and even thought itself are contingent
    and changing (although their very essence is to assert
    their supremity)?

    Pirsig deconstructs the problems of the SOM in line
    with this postmodernist concern with 'humanism' in
    thought. But then he introduces the 'intellectual
    level of value patterns', which I see as a
    re-affirmation of the sovereignty of man in thought.

    I'm not trying to be confrontational, like saying
    Pirsig is of no value because of this. I'm just
    interested in other people's ideas on this issue.

    Matt

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