[MD] Intellectual Level

[Arlo Bensinger]

[John]
There's one big difference between us right there, Arlo - I don't 
take anybody's word for anything.

[Arlo]
Even when you children tell you they are hungry? Do you demand 
evidence of their hunger before feeding them? How would you 
accomplish this? Measure their blood-sugar?

Seriously, though, no one is asking you take DMB's or Pirsig's word 
that the sky is blue. But in this context, if Pirsig says that DMB 
understands his ideas to that degree, then why would I not take that 
at face value? I mean, I think Pirsig is a better judge about whether 
someone understands his ideas than I am. Do YOU think you're a better 
judge of who understands Pirsig than Pirsig? Does this you mean 
understand Pirsig better than he understands himself?

That's all this is. Its not about being "right" about everything, or 
that no one else can ever be right about anything, or that newbies 
should just shut up, or that you aren't a philosopher too, or any 
such nonsense like that. This whole thing was in the context of 
accusations about DMB having a "shallow" understanding of Pirsig's 
ideas, and if Pirsig himself thinks to the contrary, then I think 
such accusations can be summarily dismissed.

Unless you want to argue with Pirsig that he is poor judge of who 
understands his ideas, and that you are better able to make 
determinations about who understands him than he is, in which case 
that is where your follow-up should be, I don't know what more I can say.