[MD] The Word is Not the Thing

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Platt]
Ah yes, the familiar dodge of a loser -- the "you're stupid" slur.

[Arlo]
No, but if you think noticing a recursive paradox in language is some 
kind of "gotcha", then I really don't know what to say. You're 
playing a kid's game. Not to insult kids, mind you.

Language is fundamentally recursive, and hence paradox laden. Pirsig, 
that Great Postmodern Mind, was aware of this. His statement "All 
this is just an analogy" is, when subjected to the same recursive 
analysis, a paradox.

You could just as easily bemoan Pirsig's "profoundly incoherent" 
statement by saying, ""All this is just an analogy" except this 
statement. The postmodern mind at work."

Or you could maybe fault that profoundly incoherent Pirsig for saying 
"Quality is undefinable", thus defining Quality.

Of course, Pirsig and other "postmodern minds" would simply say "... 
INCLUDING this statement!" or make a nod to the incomplete-recursive 
nature of language as being, as Zeno found, always present.

Next stop, rocket science!

But my guess is you're not really interested in any of this, you're 
simply interested in trying to find a reason to attack me (and doing 
a poor job). So why bother?

What say you, John, is this when you think I should just go "ohm....."???