A Philosophical Video Short
Cast of Characters:
Mr. Carter = Philosophy Professor
Ashley Smith = White student
Lakisha = African American office worker
Mrs. Thompson = Office supervisor
Johnson = Soldier
Sergeant = Voice of sergeant
Bill = AC Technician Helper
Matt = AC Technician
Couple = Young couple in car
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Theme:
Who knows, we might be living in parallel worlds at this very moment, say the Quantum physicists. Philosophers ponder these issues and more through the fields of metaphysics, epistemology, and the philosophy of science. Who knows what is really real or who we really are?
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CLASSROOM SCENE I:
In a typical college classroom, a philosophy teacher (Mr. Carter) is addressing the students:
CARTER:
“What do you know with absolute certainty?”
A white student raises her hand.
ASHLEY:
“I know that I’m Ashley Smith.”
CARTER:
How do you know that?
ASHLEY:
Because that’s what everyone calls me; that’s what I’ve always been called; that’s what is on my birth certificate; that’s what my Mom calls me. I’m sure that I am Ashley Smith.
CARTER:
Birth certificates can have mistakes on them or even be forged; babies can be accidentally switched in the hospital nursery; people can call you lots of things but that doesn’t make it your real name.
ASHLEY:
But, regardless what they call me, I’m still the same physical person, so I am me. I’m certain of that.
CARTER:
So, you know that you exist right now, at this moment? How do you know this.
ASHLEY:
I can see what’s around me. I have memories of doing things through the years. I can remember when I was ten years old and playing with my cousins. I remember going to work yesterday and driving to school this morning. I DO exist – I remember the things that happened in my life!
CARTER:
So you’re saying that because you seem to remember things, images and impressions that make up a consistent story in a convincing way, even though they are not happening right now, then you are absolutely sure that all those things really happened the way you remember them, so your memories are really the key to you knowing with absolute certainty that you are who you think you are and that your life has really occurred the way you remember it occurring? Is that what you’re basing your certainty on?
ASHLEY:
Not just my memories. My memories were made up of present moments like right now. I can see you; I can hear you. I can feel myself breathing and talking. I definitely exist right now (a little frustrated).
CARTER:
How do you know that you can see me and hear me? How do you know you feel yourself breathing? How do you know you have memories, these memories that you are basing your whole life on? How do you know they are accurate or actually even represent real events that happened?
ASHLEY:
Wha…..?? (confused & disbelieving look)
????
I…just…know….
CARTER:
HOW do you know that you’re really here at this moment? That you are who you think you are? That you live the life you think you’re living? HOW do you know these things? Our senses, our minds, our beliefs, are easily manipulated. A magician, a hypnotist, a sales person…heck, even a late night comedian can manipulate you into believing things that are not really true. Yet you are absolutely sure that what you’re experiencing right now is real and true and getting sent to your “memories” to accurately record?
ASHLEY:
So, Mr. Carter, what are you saying…that I don’t exist? That this is not real?
CARTER:
No, I’m trying to make you aware of your assumptions, things that we assume are true but we never really think about or question. We just buy into it. Here, let’s do an exercise. Relax…relaaxxxx. Be awake in this moment; what are you really feeling? Who are you, really? Relax and pay attention. Just sense this moment, right now…relax…relaaxxxx. What do you feel? What’s really going on?
Zoom to Close up on her eyes; eyes turn inward, reflective; blur then squiggly lines.
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OFFICE SCENE:Close up on new eyes, pull out.
Scene is a busy office. Ashley is now an African-American office worker sitting at a messy desk full of papers. An older woman is standing next to the desk, talking to her:
MRS. THOMPSON:
“Lakisha? Lakisha? Are you with me? We need to get those Accounts Payables out today. You can do that, right?”
Lakisha goes from being confused to quickly gathering herself.
LAKISHA:
“Oh…oh…right, Mrs. Thompson. I’m on it.”
MRS. THOMPSON:
Mrs. Thompson heads out the door; “I’m counting on you.”
LAKISHA:
Lakisha looks down at her desk. “Now, what was I doing? That was a weird feeling….”
Words on screen: TWO HOURS LATER.
Desk looks neatly organized.
LAKISHA:
“There! All done. Now where was I? (slowly) Where was I?” Looking inward, reflective.
Zoom to close up on the eyes; blur then squiggly lines.
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NIGHTTIME BATTLE SCENE:
It’s dark. Gunshots are heard in the background. Flashes of light, almost like lightning come and go, then thunderous sounds.
JOHNSON:
“Where am I? Where are we?” A man’s voice, where was previously Lakisha’s, asks.
SERGEANT:
A second voice tensely whispers: “Johnson! Johnson! You still with me!?”
Johnson tries to gather himself. A flashlight snaps on and awkwardly illuminates the face of Johnson, who is clearly a soldier. He has camos on, a helmet, and black smudges on his face. He’s lying face-first on the ground with a rifle next to him.
JOHNSON:
“Uhh…uhh…I’m with you Sergeant! I just lost my bearings for a second. What’s going on?!”
SERGEANT:
“We’ve walked into an ambush, that’s what’s going on! They were waiting for us. We gotta retreat; we already lost McDonald and Kozinsky. You ready? It’s just you and me left, Johnson. Here we go: Ready…Go… go… go!”
(barely visible in the low light, Johnson grunts and breathes hard, as if struggling and running.)
A brilliant flash of light then a boom. Johnson’s voice groans. All is dark.
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CAR SCENE:
Close up on a man’s pair of eyes. Pull out to show a young couple sitting in a car together.
YOUNG WOMAN:
“Are you even listening to me?” the young woman asks.
The man has a far-away look in his eyes, then snaps it to the here-and-now.
YOUNG MAN:
“Wha…? I’m sorry, sweety. What were you saying?”
YOUNG WOMAN:
“Whenever you have something to say, it’s all ‘end-of-the-world’ important, but I want to vent a little about my work, and you don’t even pay attention. Forget it! I’m going home.” She gets out of the car and slams the door.
The man looks bewildered.
Zoom to Close up to blurr.
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MAINTENANCE WORKERS SCENE:
Close up on eyes, then pull out.
Two construction workers with hard hats are outside working on air-conditioning equipment behind a building. One is up on a ladder. Another confused-looking one is on the ground; takes a drag from a cigarette.
MATT:
“Billy! Give me that socket again. It’s not tight enough.”
BILLY:
“Huh? Oh…oh! Okay, Matt, what size was that again?” leaning down to the toolbox.
MATT:
“Are you day-dreaming down there? The 13 millimeter, you dumbass!”
Close up on eyes, then Blurr & squiggly lines.
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CLASSROOM SCENE II:
Close up on eyes, then pull out to show Ashley Smith in the classroom.
Ashley looks confused.
CARTER:
“So, Ashley, the question is HOW do you know who you really are? Doesn’t it have something to do with what we are consciously aware of at the moment? That whatever you’re aware of in the here-and-now, especially if you suddenly have memories of how you got there that support your beliefs, then you’ll think it’s real. You’ll be convinced that wherever you are IS the real world.”
“Ashley? Are you following me?”
Ashley shakes her head and gives a wave, as if to say ‘forget it’.
CARTER:
“Anyway, class, that’s a taste of Metaphysics with a little Epistemology thrown in for good measure. See ya’ll next week. Have a nice day.”
Weary class gets up and walks out.
Mr. Carter smiles mischievously as he watches them file out the classroom, knowing that he might have gotten them to reflect a little about existence this day.
END
