A Toast to the New Year

[tectak]

No, if anyone is Phaedrus it is Dale, although he was never submerged by electroshock therapy (a totally barbaric treatment of someone, it is only slightly less disgusting than a frontal lobotomy) he more just agreed to step aside. I do agree with Pirsig in the idea that one cannot get to truth by reason alone. Atheist, Modernist, and Existentialist, hate the idea simply for that reason, as they cannot conceive of anything beyond themselves, to do so would destroy their conception of life. They have to denigrate the idea of an absolute truth as it is beyond their ability to define or control and as their worldview is based on fear and the need to control their environment, physical as well as mental, they can not let a question like that be left open, and of course the best decision is to deny its existence since it cannot be proved by reason or controlled. It just happens is not acceptable (this does not apply to all listed, as nothing is, well...absolute).

[I am not sure exactly what Pirsigians believe/discuss, and I do not count myself as one of them, but it seems like they are mainly rehashing a
debate that has been going on since the pre-socratics, basically the idea of esthetics in art that cannot be rationally explained, the same with absolute truths as apprehended through art and other ways, only they have taken it to things in general, or applying it to life in general.]

These days people are afraid to talk about spirituality for fear their fellows will think they are morons. Why have Modernist and all who fall under that banner felt the need to demonize such things as these. Of what are they so afraid? They seem to be as a "little boy whistling in the dark to keep his courage up." At some point I suspect there will be a rebellion against it, but it is fully entrenched at the moment just as conservative Christianity was until the 60's. I prefer neither, as both are caricatures. Actually both are very alike. One is a religion, the other acts like a religion. It takes little to put adherents of either to a point of frothy appeal, angry looks, and cruel words. As far as I am concerned, they both look the same.Oh well that's completely tangential.             

This is at least twice you have brought this subject up, are you in love with all things Pirsig? Are you president of the local Pirsigians and Scotch club? I do think I shall go re-read some Plato since some of it has been nearly 40 years ago. In which one did he talk about Atlantis, was that the Republic. Being the wit that I am I made a miniature town of soft clay and brought it to my Philosophy class my first year at University as we were studying Plato at the time. I called it Play-do's  Republic. Ah yes, I hear the collective groan, about the same reaction I got then.

I'm sorry, did I answer your question  

Dale
   

You should be sorry. You did
tectak