To save the chemistry professor would likely be based entirely on static notions
of quality, however I met a bum who's IQ would probably be better than the
average chemistry professor (and you're probably aware of how Pirsig attacks
academicians as being too static). I would suppose that following dynamic
impulses would leave much more room for comfort afterward. Since you would be
following a pre intellectualization impulse, there would be nothing left undone
afterward assuming you didn't get too caught up in memories. DQ is strikingly
similar to Zen Buddhism and hence the name of the first book. Buddha once
commented: "When living, be a dead man," . . . and everything will fall into
place. So just act spontaneously.
--nishant taneja
(the slave thinks he has been released from bondage only to find a stronger set
of chains)
Cntryforce@aol.com wrote:
> While skimming through Lila the other day, a terrible scenario occurred to
> me. If a chemistry professor and a bum were both trapped in a car that was
> about to explode, and I only had time to drag one of them out, who should I
> save? Would it be more moral of me to save the chemistry professor, since his
> intelligence is much greater than the bum's intelligence? If I saved the bum
> instead of the chemistry professor, wouldn't I be saving the person with less
> Quality, therefore committing an immoral act? If I saved a dog instead of a
> human, that would be immoral in anyone's eyes (anyone other than the dog). If
> I saved the dog, I would be saving the lower life form. So if I saved the
> bum, since he's less intelligent than the chemistry professor, wouldn't I be
> saving the lower life form?
>
> And then another twist occurred to me. What if this bum, who is roughly the
> same age as the chemistry professor, is a friend of mine? What if this bum
> had somehow saved *my* life a few years ago? Wouldn't I be morally compelled
> to save him instead of the chemistry professor, despite the fact that he is a
> lower life form? Any comments welcome.
>
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