Transcendental Stuff

How are they going to get back? asks Terence.

Arthur'll call me, says Sweezus. And I'll pick them up.

What if he doesn't? asks Terence.

Then I won't have to, says Sweezus. 

How did you get on with your interview with Kant? asks Gaius. Is it finished?

Not yet, says Sweezus. There's more transcendental stuff we haven't touched on.

What's trans-dental stuff? asks Terence.

Transcendental stuff, says Sweezus.

That's a stupid answer, says Terence.

That wasn't the answer, says Sweezus. That was the right way to say it.

So what is it? asks Terence.

Ask Gaius, says Sweezus. I'm driving.

What's this? asks Gaius, who is thinking about algal blooms.

Terence wants to know what's transcendental, says Sweezus. 

Spiritual things, says Gaius. 

I know about those, says Terence.

Perhaps you should interview Kant then, says Sweezus.

Kant's transcendental may be different, says Gaius.

Yeah it is, says Sweezus. Idealism, and ethics. 

But what does it mean really? asks Terence.

It means what can we know, says Gaius. 

That's easy, says Terence. 

They have arrived at the Goolwa Beach carpark.

The wind howls. Waves crash. Foam rises and crumples.

I hope our bikes are all right, says Gaius. We left them behind the kiosk.

Go and look, says Sweezus.

He and Terence stay in the car gazing out at the seascape.

What can we know? asks Terence.

He loves this question.

Everything's fucked, says Sweezus. I mean cactus.

How do we know? asks Terence.

What? asks Sweezus.  We just know.  Unless we're some kind of philosopher who can't just accept it.

Gaius taps on the window.

He is mouthing something.

Uh bke sah orih!

The bikes are all right, says Sweezus.

That's good, says Terence.

See, says Sweezus. Gaius checked the bikes . The bikes are all right. He came back and told us. Now we know.

It seems simple enough when Sweezus says it, but Terence has now got a taste for transcendental philosophy.

But WE didn't see them, so we don't really know, says Terence.

I guess you're right, says  Sweezus. But we could get out and look. 

What if we got out and looked and we saw an illusion? asks Terence.

Let's ask Gaius if he thinks he saw an illusion, says Sweezus.

He opens the door.