From: David Buchanan (DBuchanan@ClassicalRadio.org)
Date: Sun Mar 30 2003 - 02:52:36 BST
Matt and all:
Matt said: "In distinguishing the levels why can't it be described as
understanding the essence of each level?" I think you can. I take this to
be the project DMB is undergoing, trying to get to the essence of the MoQ
(which I take to be a hopeless project). I can't remember how DMB
characterizes what he is doing, but if he took a nominalist, pragmatic
stance, he would simply say he is trying to figure out what Pirsig thought
he himself was up to, rather than searching for the essence of the MoQ. If
he said this, I would take his project to be scholastic and he and I would
have no metaphilosophical quarrels because it would be obvious that he and
I have different projects most of the time.
DMB says:
My "project" is hopeless unless I say such and such and then it'll be
scholastic? Are you for real? As far as I'm concerned, essence is the oil
pressed from a flower, and as a metaphor for that purification process, it
is the defining characteristic of a thing. I think both the fragrent goo and
the concept are useful and see no reason why we should be haunted by such a
thing. I assume that what "Pirsig thought he himself was up to" was simply
to write a book that would describe and explain the MOQ. If I have a
project, it is to discuss that book with a view toward understanding the
MOQ. Is that wacky, or what?
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