Scientific Method Class

As I read through the next reading section of the book, I felt more and more isolated from it. As Pirsig talked about science and the scientific method, I felt like I was sitting in an 8^th grade science class all over again. I understand the steps, and understand how to attempt to solve a problem and make logical and plausible hypotheses, but was puzzled by the reason behind his need to explain all of that. In my opinion, the narrator was explaining to the reader the obvious. He told us how we should make the correct hypotheses and only state the problem that we know is occurring… Isn’t that obvious? Why would you make assumptions of the problem when you haven’t even tested for that assumption?

Moving away from the whole scientific class, I am now lingering on the thought of what or who Phaedrus is. At first I though he was a ghost, then I though he was a person in the narrator’s past, but now, leaning the Phaedrus was pursuing a ghost in his lifetime, and the narrator is following his steps, what is he? When the narrator said he was seeing through Phaedrus’ eyes and could see his hands as he was looking down to the motorcycle handles, I wasn’t sure of the exact connection Phaedrus and the narrator have. The narrator goes on to tell how it is dangerous to confront Phaedrus head on, and by doing it, one is inviting disaster, but he goes on t follow his path and finish what Phaedrus started. However, that is the problem. I am not quite sure what Phaedrus was after in his lifetime. He was a smart kid and learned molecular science well up to the point that he got expelled from college, and I wonder what occurred to make him earn the bad grades.

The one part of this reading segment I understand and agree on is the power of rational thinking. How the mind and knowledge has the power to rebuild anything that was ever created, and it is the mind that dictates the problems and solutions to aspects in life and not life itself. By understanding a subject material, one has its blueprints imbedded within his mind and can call upon it whenever he wants. That is why the mind is the most important aspect of a person; it guards and protects everything that one has ever attempted in life.