
FADE IN:
INT. SITTING ROOM - DAY
Phone in hand, PETER watches swimming video clips, one after another. The wall clock registers 09:30.
PETER (V.O.)
Well the techniques should help
me swim better. Let me waste no
time to practise.
Carrying a small bag, Peter rushes off.
INT. LAM TIN SWIMMING POOL - DAY
Outside the entrance area, there is a big crowd, mainly children accompanied by adults. Peter waits at the end of the queue.
PETER (V.O.)
What a Saturday morning sight!
No movement. An electric message board indicates the total number of entrants is 521.
PETER (V.O.)
I've never seen any queue during
week days and wrongly assume
I can always enter. I don't think
there's room for me to practise.
Peter leaves the queue.
INT. PUBLIC LIBRARY - DAY
Peter reads columns in the Financial Times.
PETER (V.O.)
Biologically, only reproductive
success matters? Our psychology
and behaviour are shaped by
our genes?
Pausing,
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
If that's the case, do we have
freewill at all? My fond philosophical
pursuit has been Freewill v Fatalism.
Have other philosophers and I made
wrong assumptions? Science can
now explain?
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd)
Fortune-telling - based on genetic
inheritance - should be credible?
INT. CAR TESTING CENTRE - DAY
Peter enjoys snacks at a comfortable waiting area. We hear someone calling "...1888". Peter responds curiously to MECHANIC#1 and follows him to a car lift area.
MECHANIC#1
You've recently repaired your
car...
PETER
(Nodding)
Yes. Just to see that everything
is Okay before taking it here.
The mechanic points at the ball joints underneath an uplifted car.
MECHANIC#1
You can see their upwards and
downwards movements. They
aren't normal.
PETER (V.O.)
(Nodding)
My car repairer detected there
was something wrong and got
my consent to replace the
steering system. It's now apparent
that he made wrong assumption
of the car's problem.
The mechanic then points to a dust cover of the steering system.
MECHANIC#1
The dust cover should not be
movable. A clip is missing...
PETER (V.O.)
(Nodding)
I assume everything was done
professionally. It turns out that
the repair job was done without
care or checking.
EXT. CAR REPAIR - DAY
As Peter gets out of the just-examined car, MECHANIC#2 approaches Peter.
PETER
The car has failed the test...
Mechanic#2 initial looks shocked. Upon hearing Peter narrating the details and reading the test result, he looks apologetic.
EXT. ROAD - DAY
Peter walks briskly.
PETER (V.O.)
I studied logic and methodology
before. Without fundamental
assumptions or axioms, theorising
can't begin.
Pausing.
PETER (V.O.)
However, we've preconceived
notions, and many of our assumptions can be wrong. We'd
better verify or falsify them, not
just to save time and money,
but also to avoid misunderstandings
and unhappy dramas!
FADE OUT. The End