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CHIP: How dauntingly amusing!
FRIEND: How delightfully so!
CHIP: I have not seen anything more fantastic in my life! How about you, my dear friend?
The friend nods.
What a beautiful day ‘tis. I suppose we should pack up the food; it will be getting rather late soon.
FRIEND: You're right. You must have business to attend to.
Chip shrugs.
CHIP: That I do. But would you like to know what I'm working on?
FRIEND: Oh, I would love to hear.
Chip chuckles.
CHIP: (boldly) I wish to create a universe.
FRIEND: You hesitate in your speech. Should I take you seriously
CHIP: Perhaps I do, but I hesitate only because I am aware of my convictions. (He smiles) Similarly, I am aware that it has been tried, but not in my manner of doing so.
FRIEND: I hope you are aware of the pride you show. I’m afraid the rest of the world may not react kindly to your tone.
CHIP: Of course I'm aware of that fact -- haven't all world leaders felt the icy grip of fear as they worried endlessly over the outcomes of their plans?
FRIEND: Hitler would have had an ulcer -- at least Napoleon didn't have to worry about fission bombs.
CHIP: Or any bombs for that matter!
FRIEND: Exactly! Now tell me more of your divine plan. I fear you are not concerned enough with the clockwork that has worked so well -- though perhaps not perfectly -- for the past few millennia.
CHIP: Clockwork? Clockwork has nothing to do with it. It's a very simple concept, you realize.
FRIEND: I don’t understand. I associate clockwork with mechanics; however, nothing of that sort appears to lean towards the grandeurs theory of creating one’s own universe…
CHIP: Have you not heard of the art form of which I speak? Clock work is merely a metaphor. I wish to stray from the ugly world of blunt statements; thereby, I ask, what has letters of ink and leaflets of paper?
FRIEND: A newspaper? A book?
CHIP: Your first guess is quite correct. In a matter of speaking, yes, I am creating a book of sorts. If I say so myself, it is blossoming into quite on a lovely piece -- that's what I think of it at least; you may adamantly disagree with me. That would be quite sad, if I say so myself. But nevertheless, I wish to send it out to the world. Perhaps I could make a few dollars off of its publication. Of course, money is no matter.
FRIEND: Don't think too far ahead, m'boy.
CHIP: Oh? And why not? Shall a man not dare to dream?
FRIEND: Mmm. What good wine this is! Why can one not dream about that? Such a simple matter, it is. There is no need for this desire to be superhuman, though you are playing the role quite well. I would expect no less of you, of course. Your persona has been like so since the beginning of college those many years ago.
CHIP: The most powerful rulers have all banished the ideas of human weakness. After all, if you truly long to become something of value; something with meaning, it is necessary to work towards such a goal. However high the climb may be, it is always work a shot. Thus, I wish to take a gamble, a wager, if I may quote Pascal on the matter.
FRIEND: Pascal? Oh, the irony! Chip, you must understand: there are limits to man’s greatness, even within the realm of impossible probability. I have always wondered if it is our bodies that hold us back from becoming greater beings…
CHIP: Don't tell me you're a Gnostic now.
FRIEND: Oh, far from it. I was raised a Protestant, but I gave that up rather quickly. Any who, these are trivial details; they do not matter to our particular situation this very moment.
CHIP: You are quite right, my friend.
FRIEND: So, tell me, how do you plan on working your way up to divinity without faith of any sort?
Friend chuckles.
CHIP: Why, it is as simple as writing a novel; you needn’t faith for that. A short story, a poem, a sonnet, a symphony -- these are all 'worlds.' Every moment an artist creates a new piece, he is giving birth to a civilization! And to answer your question about faith, I am still an atheist. I do not see why such a trivial fact would have any effect on the situation.
FRIEND: What are your views then on how the world came to be?
CHIP: I do not know – fully at least. I believe that science shall one day provide us a rational answer, however.
FRIEND: So you can’t give me a definite cause for our existence.
CHIP: So what?
FRIEND: So how can we create another?
CHIP: Quite simple: it must not follow the same system of our own. It must follow a system controlled and created by the author.
FRIEND: I see.
CHIP: If you did, you’d realize that the novel is the key.
FRIEND: And what is this novel about?
CHIP: I shall say with profound certainty that you already know. In fact, I have already told you.
FRIEND: Creation? Is this contrived from your own head, or are you perhaps using some secondary sources? If the latter is applicable, you could have just told me you wished to mock…
CHIP: It is nothing of that sort! Quite simply, it is two men debating the idea of creating a new universe.
FRIEND: I need more wine.
Chip politely hands him a glass. His friend pours himself a generous serving of the burgundy liquid, and afterwards holds up the bottle, gesturing towards Chip.
CHIP: No thank you. I find inhibits higher order thinking.
FRIEND: Personally, I can't turn down a good glass of port, though it's not for everyone. So, please continue. I must say, I am a little confused as to the roots of this conversation.
CHIP: My dear friend, it is the exact same conversation that is in the book! It's not a difficult concept. My thoughts have undeniably been the responsible.
FRIEND: Of course! But to this degree? I do believe there is not such a thing as Fate but...
CHIP: But this conversation is too bizarre? Not so. After all, I was the Creator of the original plot in the novel. And although I am part of this system -- our universe, I mean -- and therefore clearly not the creator, I can influence it.
FRIEND: I thought you subscribed to the idea that our world is created 'blink by blink' as those silly quantum physicists seem to think?
CHIP: At a time I was intrigued by its mysteriousness. However, after a brief period of thought, such is clearly not so. Otherwise the world would be a much stranger place than it already is.
FRIEND: I suppose. So you are a Creator, you say? I suppose you have made yourself superhuman, dear Chip! But I do believe you are the creator of this conversation.
CHIP: Ah, but as are you. This conversation itself is not a universe; the world we are existing in is, however. Now, there are minute differences that separate us from the book, but they are not too grand.
FRIEND: You shouldn’t be an atheist.
CHIP: I am speaking in hypothetical terms. Anyway, I do believe my theory is entirely rational. You may say I am only “playing God,” my dear friend, but on the contrary: I am God. I am the Creator of a whole new world.
FRIEND: Perhaps, it is true that characters are said to develop a free will of their own in truly great literature. Books are said to write themselves, though I am not sure if I can believe that.
CHIP: It's not entirely irrational. After all, we clearly have free will, so why can't the beings we create be the same? We merely set guidelines for them to follow -- like, say, the laws of physics. As slaves to the system, it is rather tricky to step outside of it and therefore outside of the 'law.'
FRIEND: I used to wish there was no gravity so I could just float. It would save money on petrol.
CHIP: Quite. These characters are the same as you and I; they have free will -- in a matter of speaking, that is. As we should know, there are certain actions the author may wish to carry out but would not make sense. The story limits us, even though we are its 'god.' We are aware of their actions, yet we do not feel nor do we have control over them.
FRIEND: Do you have an excerpt you would care to read to me? I must say, this talk of non-existent beings with a mind of their own does fascinate me.
CHIP: Of course. I keep parts of it on me at all times in case an idea comes to mind. Here, I shall start from the beginning:

Chip's New Novel (p. 1):
CHIP: How dauntingly amusing!
FRIEND: How delightfully so!
CHIP: I have not seen anything more fantastic in my life! How about you, my dear friend?
The friend nods.
What a beautiful day ‘tis. I suppose we should pack up the food; it will be getting rather late soon.

Description
CHIP: How dauntingly amusing!
FRIEND: How delightfully so!
CHIP: I have not seen anything more fantastic in my life! How about you, my dear friend?
The friend nods.
What a beautiful day ‘tis. I suppose we should pack up the food; it will be getting rather late soon.
FRIEND: You're right. You must have business to attend to.
Chip shrugs.
CHIP: That I do. But would you like to know what I'm working on?
FRIEND: Oh, I would love to hear.
Chip chuckles.
CHIP: (boldly) I wish to create a universe.
FRIEND: You hesitate in your speech. Should I take you seriously
CHIP: Perhaps I do, but I hesitate only because I am aware of my convictions. (He smiles) Similarly, I am aware that it has been tried, but not in my manner of doing so.
FRIEND: I hope you are aware of the pride you show. I’m afraid the rest of the world may not react kindly to your tone.
CHIP: Of course I'm aware of that fact -- haven't all world leaders felt the icy grip of fear as they worried endlessly over the outcomes of their plans?
FRIEND: Hitler would have had an ulcer -- at least Napoleon didn't have to worry about fission bombs.
CHIP: Or any bombs for that matter!
FRIEND: Exactly! Now tell me more of your divine plan. I fear you are not concerned enough with the clockwork that has worked so well -- though perhaps not perfectly -- for the past few millennia.
CHIP: Clockwork? Clockwork has nothing to do with it. It's a very simple concept, you realize.
FRIEND: I don’t understand. I associate clockwork with mechanics; however, nothing of that sort appears to lean towards the grandeurs theory of creating one’s own universe…
CHIP: Have you not heard of the art form of which I speak? Clock work is merely a metaphor. I wish to stray from the ugly world of blunt statements; thereby, I ask, what has letters of ink and leaflets of paper?
FRIEND: A newspaper? A book?
CHIP: Your first guess is quite correct. In a matter of speaking, yes, I am creating a book of sorts. If I say so myself, it is blossoming into quite on a lovely piece -- that's what I think of it at least; you may adamantly disagree with me. That would be quite sad, if I say so myself. But nevertheless, I wish to send it out to the world. Perhaps I could make a few dollars off of its publication. Of course, money is no matter.
FRIEND: Don't think too far ahead, m'boy.
CHIP: Oh? And why not? Shall a man not dare to dream?
FRIEND: Mmm. What good wine this is! Why can one not dream about that? Such a simple matter, it is. There is no need for this desire to be superhuman, though you are playing the role quite well. I would expect no less of you, of course. Your persona has been like so since the beginning of college those many years ago.
CHIP: The most powerful rulers have all banished the ideas of human weakness. After all, if you truly long to become something of value; something with meaning, it is necessary to work towards such a goal. However high the climb may be, it is always work a shot. Thus, I wish to take a gamble, a wager, if I may quote Pascal on the matter.
FRIEND: Pascal? Oh, the irony! Chip, you must understand: there are limits to man’s greatness, even within the realm of impossible probability. I have always wondered if it is our bodies that hold us back from becoming greater beings…
CHIP: Don't tell me you're a Gnostic now.
FRIEND: Oh, far from it. I was raised a Protestant, but I gave that up rather quickly. Any who, these are trivial details; they do not matter to our particular situation this very moment.
CHIP: You are quite right, my friend.
FRIEND: So, tell me, how do you plan on working your way up to divinity without faith of any sort?
Friend chuckles.
CHIP: Why, it is as simple as writing a novel; you needn’t faith for that. A short story, a poem, a sonnet, a symphony -- these are all 'worlds.' Every moment an artist creates a new piece, he is giving birth to a civilization! And to answer your question about faith, I am still an atheist. I do not see why such a trivial fact would have any effect on the situation.
FRIEND: What are your views then on how the world came to be?
CHIP: I do not know – fully at least. I believe that science shall one day provide us a rational answer, however.
FRIEND: So you can’t give me a definite cause for our existence.
CHIP: So what?
FRIEND: So how can we create another?
CHIP: Quite simple: it must not follow the same system of our own. It must follow a system controlled and created by the author.
FRIEND: I see.
CHIP: If you did, you’d realize that the novel is the key.
FRIEND: And what is this novel about?
CHIP: I shall say with profound certainty that you already know. In fact, I have already told you.
FRIEND: Creation? Is this contrived from your own head, or are you perhaps using some secondary sources? If the latter is applicable, you could have just told me you wished to mock…
CHIP: It is nothing of that sort! Quite simply, it is two men debating the idea of creating a new universe.
FRIEND: I need more wine.
Chip politely hands him a glass. His friend pours himself a generous serving of the burgundy liquid, and afterwards holds up the bottle, gesturing towards Chip.
CHIP: No thank you. I find inhibits higher order thinking.
FRIEND: Personally, I can't turn down a good glass of port, though it's not for everyone. So, please continue. I must say, I am a little confused as to the roots of this conversation.
CHIP: My dear friend, it is the exact same conversation that is in the book! It's not a difficult concept. My thoughts have undeniably been the responsible.
FRIEND: Of course! But to this degree? I do believe there is not such a thing as Fate but...
CHIP: But this conversation is too bizarre? Not so. After all, I was the Creator of the original plot in the novel. And although I am part of this system -- our universe, I mean -- and therefore clearly not the creator, I can influence it.
FRIEND: I thought you subscribed to the idea that our world is created 'blink by blink' as those silly quantum physicists seem to think?
CHIP: At a time I was intrigued by its mysteriousness. However, after a brief period of thought, such is clearly not so. Otherwise the world would be a much stranger place than it already is.
FRIEND: I suppose. So you are a Creator, you say? I suppose you have made yourself superhuman, dear Chip! But I do believe you are the creator of this conversation.
CHIP: Ah, but as are you. This conversation itself is not a universe; the world we are existing in is, however. Now, there are minute differences that separate us from the book, but they are not too grand.
FRIEND: You shouldn’t be an atheist.
CHIP: I am speaking in hypothetical terms. Anyway, I do believe my theory is entirely rational. You may say I am only “playing God,” my dear friend, but on the contrary: I am God. I am the Creator of a whole new world.
FRIEND: Perhaps, it is true that characters are said to develop a free will of their own in truly great literature. Books are said to write themselves, though I am not sure if I can believe that.
CHIP: It's not entirely irrational. After all, we clearly have free will, so why can't the beings we create be the same? We merely set guidelines for them to follow -- like, say, the laws of physics. As slaves to the system, it is rather tricky to step outside of it and therefore outside of the 'law.'
FRIEND: I used to wish there was no gravity so I could just float. It would save money on petrol.
CHIP: Quite. These characters are the same as you and I; they have free will -- in a matter of speaking, that is. As we should know, there are certain actions the author may wish to carry out but would not make sense. The story limits us, even though we are its 'god.' We are aware of their actions, yet we do not feel nor do we have control over them.
FRIEND: Do you have an excerpt you would care to read to me? I must say, this talk of non-existent beings with a mind of their own does fascinate me.
CHIP: Of course. I keep parts of it on me at all times in case an idea comes to mind. Here, I shall start from the beginning:

Chip's New Novel (p. 1):
CHIP: How dauntingly amusing!
FRIEND: How delightfully so!
CHIP: I have not seen anything more fantastic in my life! How about you, my dear friend?
The friend nods.
What a beautiful day ‘tis. I suppose we should pack up the food; it will be getting rather late soon.