[net.philosophy] What is Quality?

robert@hp-pcd.UUCP (02/03/84)

What is quality? Is it or any aspect of it objective? Is it inherent in
an object? Does it exist only in relation to something else?  Is quality
in the mind of the observer, that is, is it observer dependent?  Does
anyone out there know of a *good* philosophical treatment of this topic? 

				-Robert (animal) Heckendorn
				...!hplabs!hp-pcd!hp-cvd!robert

gam@proper.UUCP (Gordon Moffett) (02/06/84)

I just had to chuckle when I read the title to this one...

In `Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintanence' the author goes on at
great length discussion Quality and what it is and what it means.

Other things are discussed therein also -- the whole book is highly
recommended!
-- 
Gordon A. Moffett
	{ allegra, decvax!decwrl } !amd70!proper
	hplabs!intelca!proper!gam

myers@uwvax.ARPA (02/07/84)

One good, readable essay/story on quality is *Zen and the Art of Motorcycle
Maintenance*.  Standard read in philosophical thinking courses.  If I
remember correctly, the author argues that Quality is not something inherent
in an object, nor purely subjectively experienced, but is a relation between
subject and object.  But you have to read the book (the movie won't do).

Jeff Myers@wisc-rsch