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Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values (Mass Market Paperback) (平装)
by Robert Pirsig
| Category:
Philosophy, Meaning of Life, Non-fiction |
| Market price: ¥ 108.00
MSL price:
¥ 88.00
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| Stock:
In Stock |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
An essential reading for those in search of broader intellectual, philosophical, and spiritual vistas. |
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AllReviews |
  1 2 Total 2 pages 12 items |
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An American reader (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-31 00:00>
This book is appreciated by almost everyone with a desire to think and learn about the world they live in, but it's also misunderstood as to its content.
Phaedrus had issues with the Greek philosophers not because they combined the nature of "truth" and the nature of "good". They did no such thing. He had an issue with them because in their desire to order the world and create a method of looking at the world which could be understood and taught readily, they decided to set priorities: They decided that facts and truth in the scientific sense of the world was of the highest importance. The "good" that had been spoken of by the Sophists and others prior to the debates with Socrates was then called "virtue" and hacked up using the analytical knife of classic thought, with lots of definitions and research expended to figure out what made it tick. The result of this is our Aristotlean world, in which people have created and organized themselves brilliantly, yet don't seem to understand much about themselves and each other.
In some ways, Greek philosophers created the mode of thought for our current sociological thinkers. This mode of thought seems to say understanding the world is more important than creating a better world.
Phaedrus understood that Quality isn't something that can be defined in the sense Aristotle wanted to define everything. The only way to SEE Quality is to see its effect on those who witness it. It is indefinable, because it is always different. Quality is simply what works "better" or "best". People need to understand (even now, today!) that Quality can't be defined like an object can. It's a condition that describes life, art, ideas, actions, creations of any kind, and describing it isn't nearly as important as TRYING for it.
I can only imagine what happened in Phaedrus' mind when simple politics prevented him from sharing his viewpoint academically, but I've read ZAMM and it got me thinking about what people are GOING for in life. Why does it seem like everyone wants something and nobody knows why they want it? normal people don't like to ask these questions anyway, but even our best and brightest dodge the question in all but the most analytical of ways.
In the end, Quality is individual, and Pirsig says that his greatest faith for the future is in quality individuals making quality decisions. I like that.
If this isn't your kind of thing, I can sympathize: Sometimes it's very demanding to "think out" all of this books concepts, but it's a BOOK, and that's what it's best for. You can read it over and over, piece by piece until you know exactly what is being talked about. That this book is engaging and well written, creating intelligent, human and interesting characters and situations makes all this possible. Subjects this smart deserve writing this good!
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Magellan (MSL quote), USA
<2006-12-31 00:00>
Unfortunately, I have to agree with the previous writer here, Scott Carson, in his much more detailed review, that this book just didn't live up to its reputation. At the risk of criticizing one of the most legendary books of the metaphysically itinerant, agoraphobic, and spiritually questing 60s, I just didn't find it to be particularly deep, although it is sometimes entertaining and I did learn a few things here and there. But I'd heard about how profound the book was and about all the deep philosophy in it, but really, it doesn't even get to the level of your typical college Philosophy 1A class. As an introduction to Zen there are some occasionally interesting tidbits, but here too, the actual philosophy is pretty light.
I'm sure this book did literally affect and change the lives of millions of people who read it and thought it was great, but then, they probably weren't that well read in philosophy so it was all new. That's fine, there's value in educating the general public on matters metaphysical and on basic philosophy and also eastern philosophy and Zen. If the book did that in some people's minds, then my hat's off to Pirsig, but I personally found it to be pretty thin gruel considering the book's amazingly stellar reputation. I give the book 3 stars for its historical importance and for its being one of the most important literary icons of the period, and also for effort, but really, that's being generous.
If you want to read a better book on eastern philosophy, I would recommend you try Alan Watts's The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are. I never gave Watts his full due of respect back in the 60's and 70's, because at the time I saw him as a trendy popularizer perhaps cashing in on the interest of that segment of the western readership who are perennially eastern-obsessed and therefore too naive and uncritical of their philosophy. Back then, there were just too many young people, who, having rejected whatever western culture they were brought up in, simply accepted, lock, stock, and barrel, Tao, Vedanta, and/or Buddhism after having read one or two books and therefore having finally discovered "the truth."
Well, looking back, that's perhaps too harsh an assessment, and I will say that Watts's book is an extremely well-written, concise, and clear introduction to Vedantic thought that is as relevant today as it was 35 years ago. I recently picked up the book after 30 years, and found that in many ways I enjoyed it even more than I did back then.
As others have commented more completely on the usefulness and relevance of the philosophy in the book, I will just mention one thing. I really enjoyed his discussion about the fear of death. Watts points out that the way western culture deals practically and philosophically with death, isolating the individual from feeling a part of the universe as a whole on the one hand, and as basically a taboo subject, on the other, is unproductive and ultimately does nothing to resolve the issue. He points out that the denial process of sweeping it under the rug only makes it worse, and that ultimately the only solution is to just face one's fear. If death frightens you or makes you afraid, well then, be afraid. At least be honest about it, because that's the first step to realistically starting to deal with the problem.
The reality is, that no matter how certain one is of one's religion, no-one truly knows if there is an afterlife. It is possible that all these beliefs simply represent a wishful-thinking and wish-fulfillment response to a realistic fear - the fear of death. Until one admits that and confronts the issue head on, it will continue to haunt you despite your most cherished beliefs to the contrary. |
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1 2 Total 2 pages 12 items |
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