25/06/2017

REALITY PROBLEMS

On the drive home, Wilson explained that, contrary to the title of the article he'd been reading in New Scientist, Reality is not so much Real as surreal.

Grasping the existential nettle which I knew lay at the root of this discussion, I asked him, 'So, do you believe you're real or not?'


'Oh, I'm Real!' he replied, confidently. 


I relaxed, hoping that another Crisis had been averted... but he continued, 'So long as I'm being observed, anyway – we mustn't forget that the Copenhagen Interpretation is still the Standard Model. You must look at me constantly to ensure I don't wink out of existence.'

I glanced across at him, but he shrieked, 'Watch the road, New Dad – I'm too young to die!'


Trying desperately to change the subject, I asked, 'So how was your holiday?'


Wilson held up a massive and ancient book entitled Modern Etiquette for Modern Anteaters, saying, 'Dennis gave me this. He said my manners were "not incapable of improvement" in some departments.'


My hackles rose a little at this, as I believe his manners to be impeccable (for an anteater) but I continued to ask about what he'd been up to.


He seemed uncharacteristically reticent in his answers...



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