Philosophizing

 

The narrator speaks. 

-We were sitting in the hall, almost jokingly, talking about Plato's “Theory of Ideas.” Then, we found the more we talked about it the more enthralled we became in the entire subject. We moved from ideas to limited to real to important to lost.

Two girls are sitting on a bench in a school.

Effie -This bench isn't nailed to the floor.

Sandwich -That is a bit concerning. Pauses and smiles. This bench has limited itself by not being nailed down.

Effie -It doesn't become more limited because it isn't nailed down. It would have the same amount of limitedness if it was cut in half, as it would if it were nailed down or not.

Sandwich -It wouldn't still be a bench if you cut it in half! It wouldn't be able to stand!

Effie -Would you not still recognize it as half  of the first bench?

Sandwich -Yes.

Effie -So it is still bench.

Sandwich -I suppose so. But, then... If Plato's right, there was no bench to start with. Bench is only a concept that exists in a different dimension, not as thing but, an idea. So, it has no true form?

Effie -It has form. It has form as an idea.

Enter two other girls.

Tine-ie -There they are.

Brigietta sits down next to Effie.

Effie -So, Wait? How can Plato and Aristotle both be completely positive that they are right? But then, can either of them truly be right?

Tine-ie -Because everyone's reality is different.

Effie -But, don't we agree that there is one true reality?

Sandwich -Well, I think there are shades of gray between who is right and who isn't. There are three dimensions of reality. There is the limited reality, which is the personal reality, then there is the collective reality, and the real dimension of reality.

Tine-ie -Right. But, wether it is Platonic or Aristotelian I still don't want to get hit with a chair.

Techie walks by.

Effie -Hey! Come philosophize with us!

Techie keeps walking.

Sandwich -So if there is an ideal form for a bench, then is there an ideal form for each person.

Tine-ie -No. There is one ideal for all horses so, there is one ideal for all humans. 

Sandwich -Is the form man or woman?

Tine-ie -It's both.

Effie -Or neither. It's the same thing.

Tine-ie -Yeah. It's all encompassing. 

Sandwich -Okay, yeah. That makes sense.

Brigietta -Hey should we go get seats?

The girls stand and leave.

The scene is crowded with people.

Sandwich -But, did Aristotle believe in love? He said that the only things that are real are things that we can see, touch, and experience. Love is definitely something that is experienced. Is it real?

Effie -I'm not sure that mental experiences were included in that thought. It was more directed towards physical experiences.

Tine-ie pulls Effie away through the  crowd. Sandwich follows and sits down between Truck and Tine-ie (Effie is on the opposite side of Tine-ie).

Sandwich -There are so many important things that cannot be be experienced physically. Leave love completely out of the picture; what about beauty? Could he possibly disregard it?

Effie -Or when you witness something miraculous. Something that is absolutely normal but is completely wondrous and amazing.

Tine-ie and Brigietta stand and move stage left. They sit on the two empty boxes.

Sandwich -Yes! Like the other day I was completely enthralled and mesmerized by a strawberry. It was just a strawberry. Not perfect, it had dents in its flesh and idiosyncrasies. But, it was amazing anyway. The spacing of the seeds across the fruit. The shadow that the dents caused when the light hit them just right. The contrast of the colors in the green leaves, the red of the flesh, the brown of the seeds. It was beautiful and amazing.

Effie -I know exactly what you mean. It was dark outside, and I was looking at a tree that was growing under a street light. Because the light was shining down on it, the tree appeared to be orange. I knew, in my head, that the tree wasn't really orange, but it still looked like it was anyway.

Sandwich -Yes. Nature is strange and beautiful. I take it for granted far too often.

Effie -So do I. I think we take it for granted less often than most people though.

Sandwich -I think you are right. It goes along with growing older.

Effie -When you are young and you see a dog it is miraculous because you are seeing a dog. When you get older and you see a dog it is nothing special because by that time you have seen hundreds of dogs and you be come numb to its awesomeness. When children see things they are new and exciting, but as a person experiences these things they become common place.

Sandwich -That is both terrible and very true. I wish that didn't happen.

The lights flash.

Effie -The show is is about to start.

Sandwich -Promise me you won't become numb.

Effie -I promise.

The lights go out. The back curtain starts to open. The front curtain closes.

Sorry MIMI!...(even though you arent going to read this)...

I am super duper extra sorry that i forgot to come bring to a hair elastic!!