From: Platt Holden (pholden@sc.rr.com)
Date: Mon Jul 07 2003 - 01:06:20 BST
Hi DMB, Steve, Wim, Rick, All:
> dmb says:
> Who could argue with such a calm and level-headed request for clarity? I
> could. :-) Not that I have anything against clarity. In fact, I hope to add
> some. But its worth pointing out that talking about the various levels of
> values in terms of people seems VERY APPROPRIATE and is very much a part of
> the main point. Pirsig's decision to present his MOQ as a novel clearly
> demonstrates this, I think. He not only invents the title character as an
> example of what his levels looks like in the real world, but an entire cast
> of fictional characters, his own biography, a large number of historical
> examples and many other examples from the actaul living world. (Nobody can
> accuse this guy of being too abstact or other-worldly, eh!)My point is that
> actual living people are simply the most likely way, if not the only way,
> we are going to encounter the various values in our real lives. I think it
> is more than just useful or appropriate to talk about values in terms of
> people, I think its one of the main purposes of the book.
I agree with DMB. Since we disagree a lot, I suspect he'll wonder where he
has gone wrong. :-) Levels in the abstract as some sort of Platonic forms
just don't jibe with Pirsig's whole outlook. Academic philosophers like
Rorty play with pies in the sky, but not our down to earth philosopher who
finds getting drunk and picking up bar ladies part of life. Most of all,
his levels are embodied in Lila, "And Lila's battle is everybody's battle,
you know?"
Platt
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