I think present-day reason is an analogue of the flat earth of the medieval period. If you go too far beyond it you're presumed to fall off, into insanity. And people are very much afraid of that. I think this fear of insanity is comparable to the fear people once had of falling off the edge of the world. Or the fear of heretics. There's a very close analogue there.
Robert M. PirsigMental reflection is so much more interesting than TV it's a shame more people don't switch over to it.
Robert M. PirsigThe Buddha takes no position on gods, he suggests they may exist or they may not, but either way you can live a moral life.
Robert M. PirsigWe take a handful of sand from the endless landscape of awareness around us and call that handful of sand the world.
Robert M. PirsigIt's normal at this point for the fear-anger syndrome to take over and make you want to hammer on that side plate with a chisel, to pound it off with a sledge if necessary. You think about it, and the more you think about it the more you're inclined to take the whole machine to a high bridge and drop it off. It's just outrageous that a tiny little slot of a screw can defeat you so totally.
Robert M. Pirsig