I give you Jack Migo

Jack is about to present his paper to The Parameter Institute, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

The lecture hall is not packed, but there's a good crowd. Jack knows it is not his paper they've come for, but here it is, his first audience. He finally has a chance to speak his piece!

Nick approaches the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to our special events meeting for March. We have a very full schedule tonight so I'll try to keep my introductions as brief as possible.

We're starting the evening with what can best be described as a philosophy paper, but don't let that worry you, the subject falls firmly in your domain; it's about time, and it's about space. And I promise you, you will have reason to ponder what you hear.

Almost all of you are scientists, and some of you may not be familiar with philosophy or with what philosophers do. A literary critic, I believe it was Ezra Pound, said it was a poet's function to purify the language of the tribe - I suggest it is more typically a philosopher's job. Wittgenstein also said something on this score: the work of philosophy is all about clarifying thought and language.

Our speaker is Mr Jack Migo. Originally from the Netherlands, he grew up in BC. In high school the teachers as a group decided he did not need to attend classes if he was too busy. He consistently held the academic honor roll anyway, in spite of working a half shift at a sawmill in the evenings to help with family finances. He normally had at least one correspondence course going then as well.