Irrational Man
1
Kant said human reason is troubled by
questions that it cannot dismiss,
but also cannot answer.
Okay, so, what are we talking about here?
Morality? Choice?
The randomness of life?
Aesthetics? Murder?
I think Abe was crazy
from the beginning.
Was it from stress? Was it anger?
Was he disgusted by what he saw
as life's never-ending suffering?
Or was he simply bored
by the meaninglessness
of day-to-day existence?
He was so damn interesting.
And different.
And a good talker.
And he could always
cloud the issue with words.
Where to begin?
You know, the existentialists
feel nothing happens
until you hit absolute rock bottom.
Well, let's say that when I went
emotionally, I was at Zabriskie Point.
Of course, my reputation,
or should I say a reputation, preceded me.
joinin' the faculty this summer.
Really?
That should put some Viagra
into the philosophy department.
He's this really interesting guy,
I kind of like the burned-out look, though.
Oh, my God, me too.
Well, yeah, and he has affairs
with some of his students, I heard.
- Really?
- Yeah, like full... Yeah.
Abe Lucas is teaching
my Ethical Strategies class
for summer session.
- Have you read any of his papers?
- Mmm-hmm.
He's very radical.
Very original.
You either love him or hate him, really.
Faye Cohen knows someone who knows him,
but she says, he had a serious depression
when his wife left him.
The story is,
she ran off with his best friend.
Really?
'Cause, actually,
what I heard through the rumor mill
was he had a breakdown
when his best friend was killed.
He was a TV crew guy in Iraq
and he got beheaded.
Isn't that gruesome if it's true?
Jesus, I haven't even met the guy yet,
and I'm already jealous.
Jealous?
I love that you're jealous.
That makes me feel desired.
Oh, God, you don't have to worry.
Everybody on campus desires you.
- Oh, come on.
- But I have you.
I don't know, suddenly the thought of you
coming under the spell
of some charismatic professor...
Oh, God, you don't have to worry.
I'm under your spell.
Good. Let's keep it that way.
- Yeah?
- Mmm-hmm.
Excuse me.
Uh, do you know where Jessup Hall is?
Yes, Jessup Hall is that building
over there, the red one.
Uh-huh, all right.
Thank you.
Doctor Reed?
- Oh.
- Professor Lucas.
- Professor Lucas, welcome to Braylin.
- Thank you.
- Are you okay?
- Yes.
- I'm sure you've had a long trip.
- Mmm-hmm. It was, yeah.
- Well, um...
- Thank you.
We've just concluded our spring semester,
and summer's always very active at Braylin.
Uh-huh.
We're all very happy to have you here
in the philosophy department.
Mmm, thank you.
This is it.
Now, the faculty housing
but, you know, everything you can get to.
It's within walking distance of the campus.
And you're really gonna like Newport.
It's beautiful here, but it gets
a little crowded in the summer.
That can be a drag.
It's a small house,
but it's really comfortable.
Um, right over here is the living room,
and there's a little kitchen that way.
And there's a little dining room
right next to that.
Upstairs...
This way.
Bathroom to the right.
And this is the bedroom.
It's small, but really comfortable.
And there's an office over there.
the philosophy department, you know?
It's in this old,
beautiful part of the campus.
And there's a more modern wing,
that's got state-of-the-art
stuff for science,
and computer technology,
if you're into that.
Oh, and if you want to go away,
we're just 45 minutes from Providence.
Thank you.
Do you want a drink?
Oh, no! God, no.
There's a little cocktail reception
to welcome you at 6:00.
You know, I have to tell you,
I loved your essay on situational ethics.
Oh, I'm glad you liked it.
It caused a little, uh, static
with the philosophy department at Adair.
- This is my husband, Paul.
- Hey, how you doin'?
- This is Abe Lucas, philosophy department.
- Good to meet you.
- Yeah.
- How you doin' on that?
I'd like another one, please.
- What is it?
- Vodka martini, extra olives.
- Anything for you?
- Sure, I'll have another.
- Uh, scotch?
- Mmm-hmm.
- Okay.
- Thank you.
I'm Rita Richards.
It's so good to have you here.
Hey, if you're ever bored
and you want someone to give you
the real lowdown of
who's f***ing who at this college,
just let me know.
So, Kant would argue
there is absolutely no room for lying.
And even the smallest lie
destroys his precious
categorical imperative.
So, Kant would say,
if a killer came to your house,
looking to kill the man hiding upstairs
you'd be obliged to tell him.
In his perfect world,
you know, you couldn't lie.
Yeah, I can see the logic
that if you open the door,
even just a crack,
lying is permitted.
Uh-huh.
Okay, then, then you'd say
if the Nazis came to your house,
hiding Anne Frank and her family,
and asked if anyone
was in the attic, you'd say,
"Ja, the Franks are upstairs."
I doubt it.
Because there's a difference between
a theoretical world of philosophy bullshit,
and real life, you know?
Real, nasty, ugly life
that includes greed,
and hate, and genocide.
Remember,
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"Irrational Man" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/irrational_man_10974>.
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