A memorable dialogue from one of my favourite movies, Pulp Fiction. On their way to handle some business, Vincent Vega methodically undermines Jules’ reasoning of whether a foot massage could mean more than just a foot massage, using Socratic questioning.
Jules’ argument
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Antwan Rockamora gave Marsellus Wallace’s wife a foot massage.
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Marsellus used violence because of the foot massage.
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A foot massage does not have implied meaning, ie sexual Most important argument made by Jules
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(Hidden premise) Acts which do imply sexual meaning by your partner and somebody outside your relationship permits the use of violence.
Conclusion: Marsellus’ use of violence was not permitted, and his throwing Antwan Rockamora over a 4 storey balcony was an overreaction.
Jules’ underlying argument
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Sexual acts have a type of meaning or significance only to them.
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A foot massage is not sexual. Disproven by Vincent
Conclusion: A foot massage cannot have implied sexual meaning. Disproven
At the end of the dialogue, Jules is still bothered by the use of violence, so with further Socratic dialogue, the discussion would have shifted toward whether or not the degree of violence was justified, but they’re busy, and get back into character. Jules does appear to arrive at a state of aporia, acknowleding his previous ignorance.