Re: MD When is a metaphysics not a metaphysics?

From: Wim Nusselder (wim.nusselder@antenna.nl)
Date: Wed Nov 19 2003 - 22:19:15 GMT

  • Next message: MATTHEW PAUL KUNDERT: "Re: MD When is a metaphysics not a metaphysics?"

    Dear Matt K.,

    You wrote 17 Nov 2003 21:00:53 -0600 that "vocabulary" refers for you to "a
    systematic arrangement" or "organization of your beliefs". You reject 18 Nov
    2003 18:52:17 -0600 organizing your beliefs by means of "the standard
    metaphysical questions about reality". How else do YOU organize YOUR
    beliefs?

    I found Pirsig's assertion that a MoQ is a contradiction in terms in chapter
    5 of 'Lila'. It is his reproduction of the mystic position, Quality being
    "the central reality of mysticism" and metaphysics requiring definition, "to
    subordinate it to a tangle of intellectual relationships", ... which he goes
    on to reject. ("Getting drunk and picking up bar-ladies and writing
    metaphysics is a part of life.")
    So I think that it is quite right for you to PAUSE because of the assertion
    that a MoQ is a contradiction in terms. You can (and should) nevertheless go
    on with your MoQ as "organization of experience", because Pirsig clearly
    rejects this mystical argument against a MoQ. (At least you cannot quote
    Pirsig as supporting that argument.)

    My questions to you are therefore: how do you organize your beliefs and your
    experience without metaphysical questions?

    You are quite right NOT to want to organize your beliefs and your experience
    with ANSWERS to those questions that suppose an appearance-reality
    distinction, but what's wrong with asking the questions, answering them in a
    way that does NOT suppose such a distinction and organizing one's beliefs
    and experience with those answers? (E.g.: "All reality is experience. Both
    aspects of experience, the dynamic and the static aspect, are equally real.
    Neither represents the other.")

    With friendly greetings,

    Wim

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