Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig explores the concept of “quality” as a philosophical measure of goodness. The Metaphysics of Quality suggests that individuals and societies are driven by the pursuit of quality, which explains how dynamic cities continue to grow and expand. Pirsig’s follow-up novel, Lila, further expands on his original concepts of quality and its effect on moral choices. Understanding the underlying concepts of the Metaphysics of Quality requires reading both of Pirsig’s philosophical novels and study guides.
During the early 1970s, author Robert Pirsig published a philosophical (and many believe semi-autobiographical) novel titled Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (ZaMM). Apparently, the novel is about a father and son’s motorcycle journey to reunite with a mentor named Phaedrus. In reality, the narrator often departs from the plot to provide a series of philosophical discussions, which he calls “chatauquas”, according to an Indian tradition. These chatauquas form the basis of a philosophy known as the Metaphysics of Quality.
The concept for the Metaphysics of Quality began after Pirsig and some of his colleagues had a discussion about the word “good.” One school of thought suggested that “good” was actually quantifiable, even if it couldn’t be measured scientifically. When we say that a painting is good, we are actually saying that the painting contains a certain amount of “good”. As a society, we are naturally drawn to objects and ideas that contain more “good” than others. Pirsig argued that “good” functioned both as a noun and as an adjective, leading to the concept of “quality” as a philosophical measure of goodness.
The Metaphysical Quality philosophy suggests that individuals and societies alike are all driven by the pursuit of Quality. For example, if a young child is presented with two sandwiches, one with steak and the other with bologna, the child has no reason to choose one over the other. Both sandwiches would contain the same quality. An adult who has tasted steak, on the other hand, will almost always choose the steak sandwich, because the sandwich would have a higher quality. In a much broader sense, cultures and societies are also driven by the pursuit of higher quality, which explains how dynamic cities like New York and Paris continue to grow and expand.
The Metaphysics of Quality also addresses the natural evolution of culture. A man living alone on a remote island has only one standard by which to live, and that is physical survival. If many more people joined this man on the island, then the natural evolution would be the implementation of social codes. Once all these people established a social structure, a more intellectual structure would naturally emerge. The Metaphysics of Quality suggests that the three levels of society – physical, social and intellectual – function as a form of checks and balances.
Another aspect of the Metaphysics of Quality is the examination of Quality itself. Pirsig believes that Quality can never really be seen at work, as it is in constant or dynamic motion. What we can see are the results of that Dynamic Quality. For example, we can visit a museum and see Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa”. This painting would represent a static form of Quality, as we can physically examine it and rate it as ‘good’. The dynamic aspect of Quality, however, overwhelmed the artist hundreds of years ago and inspired the painting.
Some critics of the Metaphysics of Quality suggest that Pirsig borrowed heavily from existing philosophies and that his original concepts fall well short of other 20th-century philosophers. After the publication of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Pirsig himself took the time to codify his Metaphysics of Quality. His follow-up novel Lila further expanded on his original concepts of quality and its effect on moral choices. Phaedrus, the narrator of ZaMM, meets a troubled woman named Lila, whose life decisions inspire him to examine quality as an inquiry into morals.
The Metaphysics of Quality can be a challenge for those unfamiliar with advanced philosophical theories. Reading both of Pirsig’s philosophical novels is a vital first step towards understanding the underlying concepts. There are also study guides available that will answer many questions readers may have. Even the essays by supporters and critics of the Metaphysics of Quality can prove illuminating.
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