Comment on Jose's Post

I think your topic for your paper is fantastic. To talk about irritational thinking and how this form of thinking is the one humans use most often is something that 100% agree with and an aspect that the book has many supporting details for evidence. As humans, we developed a rational way of thinking in the attempt to keep everyone in order, however, that makes us all seem the same, which is the last thing anybody wants. Through irrational thinking, we create our personality and shape our life. Through the institutions of love, philosophy and science, religion and the ideals of no absolute truths and irritational thinking, I believe you will have plenty of amazing topics to talk about and create a great paper, where you will be able to incorporate both the never ending supporting details from the book in addition to your own ideas and experiences in life.

Comment on Talia's post

I really like the fact that you decided to write about this certain topic. Not only was it my favorite, but I think there is a lot of material you can include and also leaves a lot of space for you to include your own opinions. In regards to the thesis statement, I do not think that it sucks at all. I would just add a little more about the twist that Pirsig creates in order to give the reader a hint of what the paper is going to be about. I think it would be important for the reader to try and grasp the difference in Pirsig’s views from the beginning in order to keep the reader from guessing.  I think your outline is very well thought out and structured; you seem to know exactly what you are going to write about. 

Comment on Rodrigo's post

I like the direction in which you're heading with your thesis statement. Nevertheless, I think there are some words that you could cut in order to make it sound less chopped up. If you took out the "but rather" right at the begging you would avoid cutting up the thought that you were about to introduce, which in my opinion, is kind of important since your paper is going to be about this idea. Then if you switch around the words in the second sentence and write "thus, this is the reason.." it would sound nicer.  I bolded the other things I changed too, but obviously this is your paper so do what you want with it. 

The definition of quality is, ironically, not definitive, but rather, has multiple definitions, applications and meanings for every single individual. Thus, this is the reason for the debates and difficulties in explaining such a powerful and meaningful world that affects all individuals in a different manner.

As for your outline, I think it's really good I just think that maybe you should end with your definition of quality instead of writing about it towards the beginning. 

Thesis/ Outline

I have decided to write my paper on Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance's relation to Notes from the Underground and The Stranger.  I think that this topic has a lot of support that can be found in the book and it is also the one that I like the most. Jose and Rodrigo both agreed that it was the best one,  but honestly, I was going to choose this topic regardless of what people had said was their favorite.

My thesis statement will be something along the lines of:
Through the simplistic nature of repairing a motorcycle Pirsig is able to express the same complexities as Camus does in the Stranger and Dostoyevsky in Notes from The Underground, nevertheless he does so with his own twist.

**I know that thesis sucks but it's a start?**


Outline:

- My view/ take on Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

• Phaedrus being fairly misunderstood and being limited through his knowledge 
• Why situations like that of Phaedrus' are a problem, why they are necessary 
• Why a motorcycle seems like a good tool to use in a discussion about values

- Motorcycle Maintenance in relation to the NFTU

• Underground man in relation to Phaedrus (ideaology)
• Relation of both characters in terms of limitation 
• Phaedrus not at "complete" clarity since he still is able to become something 

- Motorcycle Maintenance in relation to The Stranger

• Simplicity of both characters because of an understanding of basic human nature 
• comparison (but more of a contrast) of the ideologies in Stranger and NFTU

-Differences with all three

• what differences/ discrepancies exist 
• which ones I believe in 

Thesis and Outline

I chose to write about how life cannot be figured out through rational thinking. Not only does this topic have a lot of material I could use, but it correlates with topics we have discussed in class and allows me to include some of my ideas as well.  Not to mention, I find this topic interesting and believe I can do well on it.

Thesis:

The only way to try and comprehend life is through irrational thinking since the rationale is something humans created in order to have a structure on how to live. Throughout the novel, Pirsig continually searches for a logical explanation to every situation and scenario, but realizes that it is not possible and eventually drives himself insane trying to do so.

Outline:

I.                    Irrational thinking in itself, such as smoking or skydiving

II.                  Philosophy and science; space is boundless, yet we cannot grasp that.

III.                Love; how this attachment seems to give life a purpose

IV.                Religion; how we give God all the responsibility we cannot handle

V.                  There are no absolute truths; creationism vs. Darwinism.  

Thesis Statement and Outline

After careful consideration of all four topics that I have previously devised,  I have chosen to write about the importance of having a passion in life. I have chosen this topic because I feel that I can incorporate some of my ideas for the other topics into this essay and this will make for a better, more complete, and more interesting paper.

Thesis:
Pirsig introduces many ideas and themes throughout the novel but they all stem from one main idea: passion. He uses the narrator's passion of motorcycles and Phaedrus's passion for learning to allow himself to explain highly philosophical ideas to his readers.

Outline:
I. Passion for motorcycles to maintain at peace
II. Passion for motorcycles to explain technology
III. Passion for learning used to teach others
IV. Passion for learning used to change system of rewarding students

Thesis Statement + Outline

I decided to base my paper on the topic of quality. Since Pirsig dedicates most of his time to it in his book, and Phaedrus and the narrator both talk about it extensively, I will attempt to define it as well, and try to explain how it relates to everyone in different ways.

Thesis statement: The definition of quality is a peculiar one since it is not set in stone, but rather, has different definitions and different applications and meanings for every single individual. This is thus the reason for the debates and difficulties to explain such a powerful and meaningful world that affects all individuals in a different manner.

Outline: The Essence of Quality

I. The difficulty to define quality
II. The different uses and definitions of quality
III. My definition of quality
IV. The importance of knowing what is quality