[MD] The Word is Not the Thing

[plattholden at gmail.com]

On 21 Sep 2009 at 17:14, Arlo Bensinger wrote:

> Language is fundamentally recursive, and hence paradox laden. 

Then that statement is fundamentally recursive and paradox laden, i.e., 
profoundly incoherent. 

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

Thanks for making my point because Pirsig went on to say:

"Since a metaphysics is essentially a kind of dialectical definition and 
since Quality is essentially outside definition, this means that a 
"Metaphysics of Quality" is essentially a contradiction in terms, a logical 
absurdity." (Lila, 5)
 
If anyone wonders why the MOQ remains academically stillborn this 
admission from Pirsig is probably the reason. Postmodern thinking (It's a 
fact there are no facts.) is passe in the academy although there are still 
a few hangers-on. Logic has regained respect in most classrooms, thank 
goodness.   

> 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.

There he goes again -- "always present" -- incomplete and recursive, or
so he says, contradicting himself. 

Ah, well . . . what's the use?