[MD] Freewill

[david buchanan]

Ian posted the Pirsig quote (again):
"To the extent that one's behavior is controlled by static patterns of quality it is without choice.  But to the extent that one follows Dynamic Quality, which is undefinable, one's behavior is free."

 Ian commented:
Well it's quite clear so far as it goes - but Pirsig himself is not above qualifying himself with the odd weasel word is he ? "To the extent that ..." he says about both halves of the story.



dmb says:
Weasel words? I think that's unfair and untrue. He's reframing free will and determinism in terms of the MOQ's first distinction (Dynamic and static). To say that both are real to some extent isn't weasel-wordy anymore than it is to say freedom and order are both necessary.