In a message dated 6/13/00 12:14:24 PM Central Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> There is a huge and vital difference between the 'good' of utility
> (e.g. 2 + 2 = 4 is a good answer) and the 'good' of morality (e.g. It was
> good of you to help that
> old lady across the street). What Pirsig (and now Platt) has done is to
> reduce the 'good' of
> morality to the 'good' of utility. In doing so they advocate an
irredeemably
> amoral metaphysical
> position. Yes, that is what I mean. The MoQ has nothing whatsoever to
> contribute to debates about
> morality, simply because it does not recognise anything beyond functional
> uses of the term 'good.'
I thought one of the main points of ZAMM was that people should care more
about ALL aspects of life, such as motorcycle maintenance, and math. Caring
more about the "good of utility" can improve not only their math, but also
their interaction with other human beings. If we cared more about math
problems, we might also care more about the old women we help across the
street.
It's all about caring. Designating things like math problems and motorcycle
maintenance with terms like "functional" and "utility" is immoral because
these alienating terms often cause people to carry out things like math
problems with uncaring attitudes (which can spill over to other, more human,
aspects of life). Certainly they shouldn't care about a math problem as much
as helping save a person's life, but the suggestion is they might care more
about saving lives if they cared more about math problems and motorcycle
maintenance.
So the MOQ has not reduced the good of Morality to the good of utility. It
suggests that caring more about those aspects of life we consider functional
and mechanical will help us care more about those aspects of life that are
the most real and full of life for us. This is moral, because it has direct
implications on the goodness and badness of human behavior.
Jon
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