[MD] Julian Baggini Interview with Pirsig

[David Harding]

Hi all,

Ian,

Thanks for the link, it's good to get the heads up on things like this on the MD.

Marsha said:
> Greetings,
> 	
> I thought the interview was great!  Pirsig was razor sharp.  It was 
> to the interviewer's discredit that he missed the opportunity to 
> become more enlightened.
> 
Marsha,

Yeah I think so too.  His summary of the interview contains the source of the problem.

"Pirsig wanted to talk about his philosophy and his philosophy alone. I wanted to relate that philosophy to the ideas of others, as a means of bringing out what is supposedly different or superior in 
it, and also a means of questioning it."

In other words, apparently in modern day philosophy ideas can't be simply judged on their own merits and from that the differences/superiorness drawn.

he continued:
"After all, if the purpose were just to reiterate what Pirsig has already said, we should simply tell people to go and read his books, or just invite him to provide an overview of his philosophy."

So it's a shame he sees this as the only alternative.

Marsha continued:
 > P.S.  Has anybody been able to access the website for that Buddhist
 > article that Pirsig mentioned.  I tried, but got the message:  Could
 > not locate remote server.

I found the correct link at..

http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/nlarc/pdf/Pruning%20the%20bodhi%20tree/Pruning%204.pdf

Cheers,

David.