[Ham] What do you consider Pirsig's "Pragmatic Method", and how have you put it to use in your daily life? Can you explain phenomena from it, make predictions from it, or have it confirmed by independent observers?
[Ron] I have beneftted from his systems theories, gumption/logic traps, theories on craftsmanship and preconceptions in relation to value assesment and general system relativity. Pirsigs books inspired me to understand the society and culture often taken as granted. He inspired me to question my own concepts of morality and how they are formed. [Ham] The purpose of philosophy is to answer questions outside the province of Science, such as where does existence come from, what is the meaning of life, and what is man's role in the universe? [Ron] I'm of the ilk that those questions are best off being answered by the discovery of the self. [Ham] If a philosophy can provide a perspective that helps you understand your relation to the creative source, your life-experience will be enriched and your life goals better defined. You will be less dependent on external authority for your decisions and more appreciative of the values that are yours to choose. I am optimistic enough to believe that mankind has the potential to develop a society of "authentic" individuals, self-reliant free-thinkers who revere human life and are moved to preserve its values. [Ron] I'm with you. [Ham] The first step in this process is to acknowledge that there is a reason for our existence and that it won't be found by simply exploring new frontiers of objective knowledge. Those who have succumbed to postmodern nihilism are already lost to the cause. They've been brainwashed to the ideology that subjectivity is a myth and that man is a bio-mechanical product of evolution, a pawn in a predetermined system. [Ron] Interestingly I do not feel the need to aknowledge a reason for our existence, I am not a predeterminist, so why can't we be free willed bio-mechanical products of evolution? [Ham] Regrettably, individuals who have rejected the dogma of religion often turn their spiritual spigots to the OFF position and will never accept the concept of a primary source. That is foolish, because belief is not a black and white matter. [Ron] I agree [Ham] To pit Faith against Science is an exercise in futility where everybody comes out the loser. I won't get into specifics. Suffice it to say that man has the autonomy to be the choice-maker of his world. What one believes -- whether it's based on knowledge, intuition, or values -- determines one's reality. In that sense, we are each free to choose our own reality. [Ron] well said, I agree, Science is a belief system itself, it requires a certain amount of faith also. [Ham] That's the gist of the "practicality" of Essentialism. I hope I've answered your questions. [Ron] Thank you for taking the time to answer them, I have gained a great deal of insight from your posts. Regards, Ron Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/ Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
