
Robert Pirsig and His Metaphysics of Quality - fipar
https://philosophynow.org/issues/122/Robert_Pirsig_and_His_Metaphysics_of_Quality
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beardbound
Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance still has the best description of
linear problem solving I’ve ever seen. Its framed in the context of
motorcycles, but is widely applicable. It’s pretty early in the book, although
the rest is definitely worth reading too and I still gift it quite often to
friends.

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codeulike
I enjoyed Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance when I read it some 20-odd
years ago. There is a twist early on in the book, which perhaps in our modern
times is a bit predictable but to me 20 years ago (and evidently to a bunch of
people in the 70s) it was quite a twist. And, in more recent pressings, the
afterword written in the 80s provides another, more real and unwelcome
surprise.

Its a good book. The philosophy is internally consistent, and interesting, as
long as you don't mind a few Eastern ideas. And if I remember correctly he had
quite a bit to say about documentation and engineering.

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pwang
Pirsig was more well known as I was coming of age in the 1990s. Seems to be
less talked about among the younger crowds now?

The sequel to ZAMM is the far more illuminating book, IMO. His metaphysics of
quality continue to be a useful metaphysical frame.

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8bitsrule
Fascinating how widely it was distributed. I'll never forget walking into a
Holiday gasoline station in a little midwest town in the wilderness and
seeing, next to the check-out lanes, two shelving units loaded -only- with
ZAMM paperbacks. With covers in multiple neon shades. Gobsmacked.

It was a _real phenomenon_ ... was it a different country? I imagine the
publisher was equally surprised. (OTOH, just before it, Castaneda had sold
multiple books in the millions. Again ... why?)

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andyv
Zen and art of Motorcycle Maintenance is the most readable book on philosophy
I've ever read.

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jdkee
I found his second book, “Lila”, to be quite enlightening. His discourse on
biological, social and intellectual patterns of quality changed my worldview
at the time I read the book.

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m_alexgr
An amazingly deep book. Which I've been rereading every since it came out.

Much food for thought as Pirsig furiously "statically latches" his Metaphysics
of Quality.

Edit: and yes, can confirm world my view has changed significantly since first
reading. Even more than ZAMM, which has had a similar effect.

