Search results for: crawford

This is just a back-link to a post from a year ago, where today I added a new comment linking several threads on the above thinkers. (Go to comment #6).

Having started this blog in 2001 (a couple of days after 9/11) I’ve freely acknowledged, and made many references to, the fact that reading Robert Pirsig shortly after that in January 2002, was a game changer for me in terms of the direction of my research thinking, reading and writing. I’d started the research blog … Continue reading “Hidden Pirsig Influences”

Ostensibly I’m re-reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance in order to review the 50th Anniversary edition, but as usual I’m finding more significant note-worthy connections with my ongoing systems thinking work than there are pages in the original. The read – the story – is of course very familiar, I’m reading it for … Continue reading “50 Years of Systems and Pirsig”

The publisher very kindly let me have 3 copies of the 50th anniversary edition of ZMM published Tuesday last week. I can confirm that as well as the new Foreword from Matt Crawford, this edition contains both the Author’s Introduction, the Afterword referring to Chris’s death and the Readers’s Guide, that were added at the … Continue reading “50th Anniversary Edition of ZMM has Arrived”

A recurring mention of mine is that “I am in writing mode” – deliberately avoiding reading new publications, even where it will obviously be relevant to my writings – everything is connected at some level of abstraction after all. I acknowledged this state existed “in theory anyway” when failing and reading a couple things in … Continue reading “Patterns of Behaviour”

I’m reading Martin Robinson’s “Trivium 21c” – apparently propounding adoption of the classical Trivium for the 21st century, so far anyway. As is my wont, after a scan of contents and a read of introductory chapters I’m posting my early thoughts, so I can more honestly talk about new learning vs existing reinforcement later. First … Continue reading “Trivium 21c – First Thoughts”

Sad to hear of yesterday’s passing of Bob Pirsig, aged 88, at home after a period of failing health. Thoughts are with Wendy and the family. Bob was my seed-crystal – the catalyst that triggered all manner of connections between the super-saturated collection of issues and thoughts that already had me on my “What, why & … Continue reading “RIP Robert Pirsig (6 Sep 1928 – 24 Apr 2017)”

Further to the rant by Jerry Coyne about James Blachovicz piece which I reacted to here, there’s more. Forbes’ Ethan Siegel responded and so did Bill Storage at The Multidisciplinarian. Hat tip @chrisoldfield in all cases. Where to start? It’s still all about turf wars over broad and narrow definitions – and I’ve said what I needed … Continue reading “More on the Myths of Science”