[MD] Dissertation re/Pirisig and Postmodernity

[John Carl]

This is the heart of the matter.  This is what Bagginni needs to read and
understand and this is what Royce was trying to tell James.

"Concluding, it can be said that the postmodern moral impasse is foremost a
theoretical impasse
and not a practical one.  Judgments are still passed and moral narrations
of identity are still told...

One could argue at this point that there is no need to properly describe
moral actions if people still manage to act morally. Yet, the emerging
problems of justification are crucial problems in a global discourse
between different cultures. If they are to cooperate closely in the future
and to cooperate with as little conflict as possible, a means of sensible
communication between their different moral concepts must be found.

Intuitive emotional access to ethics does not suffice in case the
identities in question differ greatly. Therefore, a proper ethical theory
that also addresses the rational abilities is indispensable.

Justification – convincing justification – is one of the crucial elements
to set the course of mankind’s future. Moreover, inspired by Robert M.
Pirsig’s ideas, I have argued that we do not live in a
reality for which we have to design moral standards. On the contrary, the
moral standards shape the reality and render it visible and experienceable
for human beings.

Therefore, human nature can be more adequately understood through the
ethics that underlie and mold reality."


Thanks for the pointer, Arlo.  A refreshing thesis indeed.

My own recent reading, (this
<http://www.amazon.com/Native-Pragmatism-Rethinking-American-Philosophy/dp/0253215196/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434565478&sr=8-1&keywords=Native+Pragmatism>
and that
<http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Roots-American-Philosophy-Phenomenology/dp/0271020261/ref=pd_sim_14_6?ie=UTF8&refRID=1J16NCWBG26WDHWDGJ4W>)
has pointed to the Native roots of American thinking, that helped to make
possible the "E Pluribus Unum" which grew to such power and dominance on
the world stage.  It also gives good advice on where we go from here.  I
also think this insight puts RMP firmly amongst the pantheon of evolving
Pragmatists that are such in "in vogue' today.


John



On Tue, Jun 16, 2015 at 8:28 AM, ARLO JAMES BENSINGER JR <ajb102 at psu.edu>
wrote:

> Hi All (Ant in particular),
>
> First off, apologies if this has been shared before. It didn't come up
> when I did a keyword search of my email archives, so...
>
> Below is a link to a dissertation, Nina Michaela von Dahlern (2012) at the
> University of Hamburg, "The Ethical Foundations of Postmodernity –
> Communicative Reality and Relative Individuals in Theory and North American
> Literature".
>
> Beginning (primarily) on page 140 ("Deconstructing Traditional Values: Zen
> and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – An Inquiry into Values") and
> continuing through at least page 240 (including "The Creation of a New
> Ethics: Lila – An Inquiry into Morals") is some interesting discussion on
> Pirsig.
>
> Ant, please note (if you had not already known) that your dissertation
> (and 'Intro' web article) is cited. :-).
>
> http://ediss.sub.uni-hamburg.de/volltexte/2012/5740/pdf/Dissertation.pdf
>
> I've only had a chance to glance this so far, but wanted to share for
> anyone interested in Pirsig's ideas within the academy.
>
> Arlo
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-- 
"finite players
play within boundaries.
Infinite players
play *with* boundaries."