[MD] Julian Baggini Interview with Pirsig

[Erin]

    MATT: If there's any truth in Erin's remark that she thinks I should have done the 
interview (and this would probably be the only small kernel of truth to it), 
its that I know better than to talk about intellectual history with Pirsig. 
I wouldn't have gotten bogged down in this. Pressing him on points of 
originality _are_ besides the point. Granted, I think there is a lot to be 
learned by seeing Pirsig in relation to the philosophical tradition, East or 
West, but any relationships brought up need to be about elucidating Pirsig's 
philosophy and arguments, what they are saying, not on how new what he's 
saying is.


  ERIN:  Just because Monet's paintings can be classified as impressionism doesn't make a painting less original.   I don't see any reason to question the originality of his works but yes comparison to other works is important and inevitable.  I wonder if Pirsig is resistant to doing that in general or if it was her style which he questioned.      Her approach in trying to get to the "original" ideas of Pirsig seems similar to trying to get at what Pirsig was "really" was saying.
  I don't completely understand what you talk about when you talk about the problems of the appearance/reality distinction but I don't see how it is so far from appearance/originality distinction. 
  But nevermind about you interviewing Pirsig idea...Pirsig put his ideas into the world in art form.  I think maybe a philosopher with that same artist/philosopher style should do the interview.
   
   


		
---------------------------------
Yahoo! Photos
 Ring in the New Year with Photo Calendars. Add photos, events, holidays, whatever.