Lila

Not as enjoyable as the previous book but a great exploration of morality and ethics. Definitely worth reading, but it took me a while to complete and fully understand it.

Pirsig is such a believer in humans. Rather than dismissing ideas of Good and Right as vaguely "learnt" or "cultured" or even "computed, rational" phenomena, he claims that we humans Natively Possess the ability to perceive these things, and that, furthermore, these abilities are underneath any other process that happens in our minds -- i.e. that perception of Quality (as he puts it) is a...more

Pirsig is such a believer in humans. Rather than dismissing ideas of Good and Right as vaguely "learnt" or "cultured" or even "computed, rational" phenomena, he claims that we humans Natively Possess the ability to perceive these things, and that, furthermore, these abilities are underneath any other process that happens in our minds -- i.e. that perception of Quality (as he puts it) is a prerequisite for, not a result of, thought/decision. Of course, it's somewhat difficult to talk about that which precedes thought. So if this idea of essential, prime-mover-type Quality jibes with you, then I think you'll Love this book (same goes for "Zen and the...," his first effort on the subject). But if you think his idea of Quality is uninteresting or baloney, well then you'll probably find the arguments themselves somewhat inconclusive and unfulfilling. I totally agree with the guy, if you haven't figured it out yet :)   hide

Philosophies of dynamic and static quality are so intriguing, this book is a "must keep" reference.

This book changed the way I viewed everything. It's like getting a new pair of spectacles. The author expands on his thesis on "quality" that he began in "Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance". And this time he is on a boat instead of a bike. And be warned : This book deals with more of philosophy than ZAMM, but it is an very interesting read nevertheless.

The first book (Zen & the art of..) was a good exploration. But in this one the author wants to conclude something and it all ends into bullshit. As always, when you don't define your terms you can get to any conclusion you want.. justify anything.. When you put a vague, (intentionally) undefined concept called "Quality" on top of the moral ladder you end up with a somewhat dangerous moral...more

The first book (Zen & the art of..) was a good exploration. But in this one the author wants to conclude something and it all ends into bullshit. As always, when you don't define your terms you can get to any conclusion you want.. justify anything.. When you put a vague, (intentionally) undefined concept called "Quality" on top of the moral ladder you end up with a somewhat dangerous moral relativism.   hide

Amazing. The metaphysics of quality is expanded on here from his earlier work, Zen. The explanation of the progression and intertwinning of the layers of value: inorganic, biological, social, and intellectual, and their relation to the static and dynamic states of existence is in my opinion the way in which people should ultimately conduct their lives. Hopefully you will read this book and find...more

Amazing. The metaphysics of quality is expanded on here from his earlier work, Zen. The explanation of the progression and intertwinning of the layers of value: inorganic, biological, social, and intellectual, and their relation to the static and dynamic states of existence is in my opinion the way in which people should ultimately conduct their lives. Hopefully you will read this book and find that a piece of yourself you have long searched for has been returned.   hide

Sailing down the Hudson river, Phaedrus' freedom is interrupted by a sudden visitor (Lila). While he is drawn to the silence that unveils the secrets of mystery, she is mainly to seize an opportunity for a free ride. Phaedrus is well grounded, and in total control, and although he shuts everything out and embarks on a journey within, the reader is always involved and never neglected... The...more

Sailing down the Hudson river, Phaedrus' freedom is interrupted by a sudden visitor (Lila). While he is drawn to the silence that unveils the secrets of mystery, she is mainly to seize an opportunity for a free ride. Phaedrus is well grounded, and in total control, and although he shuts everything out and embarks on a journey within, the reader is always involved and never neglected... The metaphysics of quality continues with clarity and depth, yet it is mainly a bridge to much deeper territories and novel ideas... It is a book that one wishes to never end, one is sorry to hve finished reading it... Great, absolutely great...   hide

Self-indulgent white noise. I couldn't quite make it to the end...

Didn't understand some theories about the anthropology. Actually this book was like a consolation to me. Things became much clearer after reading this book. A great read.