What, Why & How do we Know ?
This is a 2023 Annotation of a 2005 paper prepared originally for the Liverpool Conference on Robert Pirsig and his Metaphysics of Quality (MoQ). The text is unchanged except for correcting a few obvious typos and formatting errors, and to keep me honest the original “It’s Evolutionary Psychology Stupid” remains here complete with old broken … Continue reading “Zero to Pirsig”
Wendy, wife of the late Robert Pirsig, shared an archive gem this weekend on his son Ted’s YouTube channel. An hour-long video of Bob’s talk to a Minneapolis College of Art audience about his book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance on 20th May 1974, then just a month or so after its publication … Continue reading “Quality – Pirsig in Person”
In connection with the publication of “On Quality”, the Spectator book club has Sam Leith interviewing Wendy Pirsig. (30 minute audio). Actually quite fascinating since Leith actually appears to have prior understanding and research (and empathy) on the relevant topics. Great also to hear Wendy talking so enthusiastically with him about Bob and his work … Continue reading “Wendy Pirsig Interviewed on Quality”
I made a single reference to Pirsig and “quality” in the previous post about Kastrup and “consciousness”. It prompted me to re-read a few earlier references I’d written – a couple of which I realise I’m quite proud of, and thought I’d “re-up” on these pages: “After the Fireworks” (July 2018) – a retrospective on … Continue reading “Important Pirsig Highlights”
Published this week, On Quality is a collection of writings by Robert Pirsig, prefaced and selected by his widow Wendy Pirsig, almost exactly five years after his death. The Robert Pirsig Story Apart from introducing us to Bob’s interest in the ubiquitous presence of Quality and to his two main writings, the books Zen and … Continue reading “Robert Pirsig On Quality”
[Latest News August 2021 – Update to Psybertron Pirsig Pages] Publication announced for 26 April 2022 of: On Quality: An Inquiry into Excellence: Selected and Unpublished Writings – by Robert and Wendy Pirsig Available to pre-order. [End News] [Follow ZMMQuality on Facebook]
It’s no secret that my philosophical – metaphysical – journey was helped along early on by the writing of Robert Pirsig [(1974) “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance” and (1991) “Lila“], although I was late to that party, at the turn of the millennium. I’m pretty catholic when it comes to sources of meta-physical … Continue reading “Pirsig, Whitehead, Sneddon & McWatt – Credit Where Credit’s Due”
“A Successful Pirsig Rethinks Life of Zen and Science” by George Gent, New York Times , May, 1974 After what he describes as a lifetime of humiliation that culminated in a mental breakdown, Robert M. Pirsig now faces the prospect of learning to live with success. Mr. Pirsig’s 20-year struggle against the forces of academic … Continue reading “Successful Pirsig Rethinks Life of Zen”