RE: MD Pirsig the postmodernist?

From: Matthew Stone (mattstone_2000@yahoo.co.uk)
Date: Mon Mar 17 2003 - 16:17:28 GMT

  • Next message: johnny moral: "RE: MD Pirsig the postmodernist?"

    I see it as Pirsig being part of one variant of
    postmodernism. You can be a 'negative' or 'positive'
    postmodernist. The former best exemplified by
    European thinkers, and the latter by Americans. As a
    'positive' postmodernist, Pirsig sees the inadequacy
    of popular modes of thought and wants to rectify this.
     His tool is a deconstruction, but his overriding goal
    is reconstruction (as opposed to purely 'negative'
    postmodernism). In this sense, one might argue that
    Pirsig is less of a nihilist, but still, full-blown
    postmodernism is an absolute precondition of his
    ideas, so I don't think I agree with the notion that
    he is on the fence between modernism and post. I
    don't think that dissolving the appearance/reality
    distiction is an essence of postmodernism in general,
    and as such, Pirsig's valuing of this divide doesn't
    make him 'less' postmodern.

    Matt

     --- Matt the Enraged Endorphin
    <mpkundert@students.wisc.edu> wrote: > DMB,
    >
    > I've considered whether Pirsig is
    > "post-post-modern," (a term that is even
    > worse than post-modern) but I just don't see it.
    > The route that Rorty goes
    > in taking the post-modern turn is getting rid of the
    > appearance/reality
    > distinction and, as I see it, that distinction is
    > absolutely paramount to
    > the mysticism Pirsig wants to incorporate. As I see
    > it, he's riding a
    > fence between modern and post-, but needless to say,
    > I still want to
    > consider if he has found a third alternative.
    >
    > Matt
    >
    >
    >
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