Assumptions

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

#Assumptions