[MD] Philosophy and Philosophology

[John Carl]

Arlo,
You remember the quote from ZAMM about Plato perhaps despising the Sophists
because none of them could match his hero Socrates, the greatest Sophist of
them all?

Yeah, that runs through my mind sometimes when Pirsig, the greatest teacher
of them all attacks academics.


John



On Fri, Aug 14, 2009 at 10:30 AM, ARLO J BENSINGER JR <ajb102 at psu.edu>wrote:

> [John]
> You can't fault Platt for villifying academia; it is a running thread
> through
> ZAMM and the evolution of the MoQ, after all.
>
> [Arlo]
> Sure. There are criticisms to be made. I'm the first one in line making
> them.
> But simple ad infinitum anti-intellectual demonizing is not the answer. As
> I
> said, this is evident by Pirsig's own ongoing support of Ant and DMB.
>
> Pirsig criticizes a lot in ZMM, not just academia. He criticizes quite
> strongly
> modes of production and consumption, consumerism, and the "status quo"
> materialism of modern culture. Also keep in mind that right-wing
> anti-intellectualism almost cost Pirsig his job, being branded a "radical
> professor" by right-wing politicians. I doubt he has much sympathy for that
> form of anti-intellectual radicalism. Again, his involvement with Ant and
> DMB
> demonstrates that clearly.
>
> I'd also point out that Pirsig's criticisms of the "academy" in ZMM reflect
> criticisms not of the "Church of Reason", but of the brick and mortar
> institutions that profess to house said Church.
>
> Again, if Pirsig felt evil perfessery commies were misrepresenting the MOQ,
> I
> doubt he'd be as vocally supportive of Ant and DMB as he is, and I doubt
> he'd
> see DMB as the voice in this forum that pulls people who "stray" back into
> line
> with his (Pirsig's) intended meaning.
>
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