Criticism of Functional Value in the Novels of Robert M. Pirsig

For annihilating ambiguity caused by differentiation of meaning according to disciplines, we tried to categorise value in the form of weber’s entity value ideal type and functional value ideal type. according to entity value typified, concept of value is the issue of philosophical disciplines such as law, theology, aesthetics and morals. these fields examine values with refer to conceptual content and are subjected to a review such as transcendency and high state criterion. as for functional value typified, concept of value is matter of sociology, handled through its role on both individual and social level. this differentiation also stands for a kind of rating that explains the transformation process of world of thought very fundamentally. pirsig tries to retrace the understanding that creates it with the help of re-interrogating concept’s philosophical meanings and usages. he directs his basic criticism to dual approaches such as subject-object, classical-romantic, kosmos-chaos and he attempts to develop an integrated approach to all problematic situations with the concept of quality. also in sociology studies, concept of value(s) is used together with dual concepts such as subjectivity-objectivity, positivism-antipositivism and static-dynamic. functional value theory, locating either society or individual at the centre, discusses the subject under different titles such as concept’s definition, root, types, functions, relations, differentiation and transformation. in addition, while discussing these subjects continual reaction to the dual approach is highly adumbrated. this study is a product of a humble exertion of a contribution to rethink values upon pirsig’s analysis.