[MD] The End of Faith - Spirituality

[Platt Holden]

> [Platt previously]
> When you say "better," do you mean "more moral?" Pirsig does. I do.
> 
> [Platt then]
> In his writings Pirsig equates Quality (value, morality) to what's better or
> "betterness" a number of times. I'll cite just one:
> 
> [Arlo]
> The quote you provided demonstrates that betterness exists to be sure. But
> it does not suggest that Pirsig uses "better" to mean "more moral".
> 
> I don't my electronic LILA at home, but I read Pirsig to use the terms
> "moral" and "value" interchangeably. So a "static pattern of value" is a
> "static pattern of morals".
> 
> I agree that some things are better, I just don't think that calling it
> "more moral" makes sense. At least not to me. For me, "morals" comprise the
> levels, "immorality" is a MOQ vantage that examines that conflict between
> the levels. Is that your point of contention. 

Here's another quote from Pirsig equating value (moral) with better:

"It looks as though Keith is looking for something he can SEE.  And he 
thinks values are not something he can SEE and therefore are not empirical. 
But if you think values are not empirical, try removing every trace of them 
from the world as we understand it and see what is left.  You can't even 
get out of bed in the morning without making a value judgment that it is 
better to do so." (LS, 124)

There are more quotes showing betterness equating with "value" and 
"moral" if you want me to post them.

Platt