[MD] Rorty and Pirsig

Wed Feb 7 02:09:56 PST 2007

Jim says

"Pirsig seems to say that Truth is
> Quality and Quality is Truth"

Hi Jim

I dont interpret him that way.

The dynamic "Quality" as a thing is not defined at all in the MOQ, however our shared perceptions of the static patterns it leaves behind, are anologous to the truths that may be apparent within particular static levels. 

to re-state your paraphrase:
Truth is a pattern of values, values are good. 

Then, there's no conflict

Jos

> -----Original Message-----
> From: moq_discuss-bounces at moqtalk.org
> [mailto:moq_discuss-bounces at moqtalk.org]On Behalf Of 2000man
> Sent: 07 February 2007 01:49
> To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
> Subject: [MD] Rorty and Pirsig
> 
> 
> Hello, good MOQ People and Pirsig Disciples,
> 
> Glad to see that you're still here.  I posted a few
> times on your board a number of years ago, after a
> thoughtful re-read of ZMM turned me on to Pirsig, and
> before Lila turned me off.  I since moved on to other
> interests, but I recently heard a short lecture on
> Richard Rorty, a "Rorty 101" summary, and it reminded
> me of you.  I seem to recall that a lot of you MOQ
> folk were also big fans of Rorty.  So I thought I'd
> stop back in for a quick visit, so as to inquire about
> that.  
> 
> What would attract a Pirsig disciple to Richard Rorty?
> Pirsig seems to me to be extremely metaphysical and
> logocentric, with his capital-Q Quality and his
> statics and dynamics.  Rorty seems to be saying, let's
> get back to pragmatics.  Let's revisit James and Dewey
> and the "common man".  Let's put philosophy second,
> behind the goodness that can evolve from healthy human
> interaction.   Let's use theory in an instrumental
> fashion, hanging together various notions if and when
> they help real people.  
> 
> Rorty seems to reject the search for a final theory of
> truth, whereas Pirsig seems to say that Truth is
> Quality and Quality is Truth.  Rorty allows free play
> between disciplines and fields; Pirsig did something
> like that in ZMM, but then crystalized and fossilized
> his thinking in Lila.  Rorty celebrates the "strong
> poet" Utopian reformer, which Pirsig came on as in
> ZMM, but then retreated from it in Lila.  Perhaps
> there is some common ground in Rorty's calling for the
> telling of stories as a source of moral education; and
> also the common call of Pirsig and Rorty to think and
> act beyond "tribal" loyalties by expanding the
> boundaries of the tribe.  But I still don't see a
> strong common thread (other than that they're both
> really smart people who think on high levels).  
> 
> So what can you good philosophers tell this
> grasshopper about the Pirsig / Rorty connection?  And
> just as a footnote, has Rorty ever acknowledged or
> discussed Pirsig and/or his theories?
> 
> Thanks much.
> 
> Jim G. from New Jersey
> 
> 
>  
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