[MD] the sophists

[X Acto]

>
>
> dmb says:
>
> Like i said already, the classroom scenes within ZAMM in particular and
> both of Pirsig's books in general show quite clearly what it looks like to
> teach DQ. These are huge counter examples to your claim that Quality can't
> be taught.




John queries:

but doesn't bo have a point in that one thing these passages are exactly
pointing out that Quality can't be "taught"?  You know, regulated to rules
and rigidization?

Since the heart of the teaching was that some things can't be taught, I t'ot
I saw bo's point.

tautological. of course.  but then, what isn't.




Ron:
Hello John,
I think the parts of the book, especially the parts in ZMM with Gumption traps
and stuckness, being one with the motorcycle, a sense of care.  In Lila with
working in paralells, random access, history as biography, to name a few ideas
are teaching us tools to evaluate experience with more precision and refinement
"Are you teaching Quality?" is the spine to the whole endeavor. His 1961 paper
discussing teaching quality in the classroom started the whole thing.

Of course part of this teaching, the most enlightening part,is that some parts can't be
be taught with words they must be lived. Socrates to Aristotle say the same,
they teach the methods in which to refine our ability to make meaningful distinctions.
They teach us to think for ourselves
They teach the tools used for useful methods of inquirey
Traditionally there is a process of breaking down what a person thinks they know
This is part of the teaching process, then they teach methods of the refinement of values,
the visitor from Elea in Platos "Sophist" stated that refutation was a useful process,
But part of the practice was the refinement of explaination.
James noted that Pragmatic truth is nothing to rest apon, it's a call to action making
value judgements in the now of experience, puting explainations to work.


Yes, everyone knows Quality it doesent have to be taught, but not everyone is aware
of it and how being aware of it allows us to be more successful in our endeavors.