I was born in 1925 in extreme southern Oklahoma. Graduated from High School in June of 1942 and joined the Navy the next day never having seen a Navy uniform. War years spent in training and in Vega Ventura outfit in South Pacific as a radio operator-gunner. After discharge in 1945 worked for a while but couldn't get enthused about paying for my own food and lodging. Rejoined the Air Force and stayed until 1964. Got degree in Biology and taught clinical laboratory equipment until retirement in 1984. Presently living on top of Cornshell Mountain near Tahlequah, Ok and contemplating the mysteries. I found the religion of my childhood indigestible and gravitated to what I think is called Logical Positivism or maybe Logical Empiricism. That is, I prefer to think that all can be explained in terms of physics and biology if we only knew enough. I still have that feeling. I am mightily attracted to the philosophy of Robert Pirsig. At the moment I don't see a conflict with logical positivism. Perhaps someone can enlighten me on this point. I empathize strongly with the philosophical struggles of Robert Pirsig. Some of you may know the religious atmosphere in which I was raised. It left me with the conviction that there is nothing more harmful to the human psyche and that religion has probably done more harm than good over the long haul. Maybe we are getting a little smarter and wiser. I will be reading your exchanges with interest in the hope of learning something. E mail address is clark@netsites.net.