Northern Exposure, Season 4

Chris:
Recent events have set me to ponder in that ontological riddle: life, is it random or systematic? Today I opted for the systematic approach--algebraic, if you will; an eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. Like most human beings I'm just trying to make sense of things. I don't know if I accomplished that, I--I don't know if anybody can. You know, Isaac Newton, he thought that the universe functioned like clockwork...like a well-oiled machine. That's a comforting vision; it's neat, orderly, predictable. But it's a vision that's pretty much been shot to pieces by relativity and quantum mechanics--all the other bugaboos of 20th century physics... The universe is a weird place. We break our teeth developing theories, equations, and systems...where's it all leave us? "A system is like the tail of truth. But truth is like a lizard: it leaves its tail in your fingers and runs away knowing full well it will grow a new one in the twinkling." I don't know...what're you gonna do? Maybe next time I'll get a blockhead Harley...1340 CCs... Anybody out there lookin' to unload one, gimme a call, huh?