Hi Andy,
>>P.S. Sam, I missed that quote in my first reading over a decade ago, but
it
jumped out at me when I reread ZAMM this summer. I forgave Pirsig for this
ignorant assessment (he gives no support for this, that I could find)
however,
for it is a view that is commonly held by many and easily swallowed. Again,
I
refer to the reader edited by John Gowdy.
I shall pursue the John Gowdy reference, although I'm not unfamiliar with
some of the arguments about hunter-gatherer societies being superior to the
agricultural ones that followed (eg better diet and longer lifespan). I
think the key for Pirsig from that quote, though, was to do with the freedom
that the individual human being is allowed. Whilst it is undoubtedly true
that only a minority of the earth's population can enjoy that freedom at
present, my view is that we need to raise the numbers able to attain such
freedoms, not lessen them, and that relies on eg modern science. Although
there is much that needs improving in our present society, I don't think it
is either necessary or desirable to put the genie back in the bottle (which
may not be what you're arguing for, but I suspect is what lies underneath
some of the disagreements).
I share some of your doubts about what the intellectual level consists in;
it's something I'm trying to work through some thoughts on at the moment.
I enjoy your posts.
Sam
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