[MD] Pirsig's theory of truth

[Steven Peterson]

Hi Ant,

I wonder if you have any thoughts on Pirsig's "theory of truth." Does
he have one? In Lila, Pirsig said, "The tests of truth are logical
consistency, agreement with experience, and economy of explanation."
This is a list of ways we verify beliefs. It is how we test for truth
but it is not a definition of truth. Nowhere in Pirsig's books do I
find a definition of truth. I suspect if he had been asked around the
LC days he would have been annoyed at the question and said something
like, "In Lila I never defined ["truth" in the context] of the MOQ,
since everyone who is up to reading Lila already knows what [truth]
means. For purposes of MOQ precision let’s say that [the assertion "X
is true" is true if and only if X is true."]" This answer would fit
his desire to stay with the usual dictionary definitions wherever
possible, and also have that grumpy edge we might expect in response
to such a question.

What do you think? Does Pirsig subscribe to a Jamesian theory of truth
as DMB would like to think? Or do you think he sees truth as a
semantic rather than an epistemic notion?

Best,
Steve