...ADAM
I've had enough of this.
ADAM crosses to the window and opens the curtains.
ADAM (CONT’D)
Look.
RICHARD
What kind of illogical, unscientific rubbish are you going to try now?
ADAM
There's the outside world.
RICHARD
All I see is light. I already know about light. In fact I probably know a lot more about light than you ever will.
ADAM
That's coming from the outside world.
RICHARD
Oh is it just? And how would you know that?
ADAM
Look. The street lights are lighting that tree over there.
RICHARD reaches his hand out toward the window.
RICHARD
Well, I'm not touching it so sorry, you must be wrong. I suppose maybe it might exist for you.
ADAM
You can see it!
RICHARD
See a tree. Per-
ADAM
Light from that tree over there!
RICHARD
And you seeing is just an electrical impulse in your brain.
RICHARD taps ADAM on the head.
RICHARD (CONT’D)
You're having some kind of electrical disturbance in your brain and you're going to use that to say there's an outside world? Have you even studied Physics?
ADAM
Well a little.
RICHARD
and Chemistry? And Biology?
ADAM
Well...
RICHARD
Well I have. And yet you're going to stand there and tell me that some chemical imbalance in your brain is proof of an outside world?
ADAM
But I can see it!
RICHARD
And I have just explained to you that you are wrong! Considering that you haven't even studied and you're pretty ignorant really, no offence, I don't know why you would think you can trust your eyes instead of what I have just explained!
Excerpt from ‘The Rules of the Game’
By Phillip Danfield
Official Site of Phillip Danfield, Author & Writer, produced by Danfield Media.
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© 2010 Danfield Media legal
ADAM
Oh come on! How can you say there's no outside world?
RICHARD
Why should I have to prove anything? Mine is the default position. You're the one making the positive assertion about something you can't touch! You need to prove that the outside world exists. Until then, it doesn't.
ADAM
Okay, well look out the window.
RICHARD
Not this again! You're arguing the out the window fallacy. I've already fully explained everything about that.
ADAM
Look out the window and you can see the outside world!
RICHARD
(irritated, impatient)
We're going around in circles here! The light that enters your eyes is right here in the room with us – inside your eyes, der.
ADAM
But it comes from outside!
RICHARD
We've taken more measurements of light than you could imagine, using some very expensive and highly accurate scientific equipment, and in every case without exception, the only light detected was in the room, interacting directly with the equipment.
ADAM
But it's coming from outside!
RICHARD
Weren't you listening? I have no need of that hypothesis.
ADAM
Well where do you think the light comes from?
RICHARD
Why should it even have to come from somewhere? It just is, okay? Do the math! First you pretend to know something and then it turns out you don't know anything! No wonder you believe in an outside world!
ADAM
What is this?
RICHARD
You know there's a word for people who think the made-
ADAM
Oh, right, so now I'm -
RICHARD
Delusional. Exactly. You've got the outside world delusion.
...