[MD] Creativity and Philosophology, 2 (from 2005)

[Steve Peterson]

Hi Matt,

Pirsig distinguished those studying the history of philosophy from 
those pursuing the answers to philosophical questions. You don't like 
to distinguish between two types of people, but do you see two 
different activities in philosophy and philosophology? One is inquiry 
into philosophical questions and another becoming conversant in the 
answers that other philosophers gave? I suppose you would say that one 
cannot be said to be pursuing philosophical questions if she is not in 
a conversation with other philosophers and therefore concerned with 
other philosopher's answers.

Either way, Pirsig's philosophologist is still an artist since it is 
all art. We have greater admiration for the one who produces something 
exciting and new which the historian of philosophy is unlikely to do. 
Or is "philosophologist" just a deragatory term for a philosopher who 
we don't think is giving us anything new? No, that's not how Pirsig 
used the term. I think he wanted to distinguish two activities.

Is the musician/musicologist analogy helpful?

Best,
Steve