When I was an idealistic freshman at Reed College, I met an extraordinary scholar. He was a senior, well dressed and ready for his oral thesis defense. One day I sat with him outside for lunch. A small crowd had gathered around him as he entertained questions pertaining to his thesis, in preparation for his impending defense. His thesis was bold and unequivocal: "All institutions are fundamentally corrupt; ethical institutions on this planet do not exist." He related his thesis somehow to the political philosophy of John Rawls, and also to the Talmud, though how he synthesized his information now escapes me. That evening, I saw him outside the Paradox Café. He asked me if he could borrow a quarter so he could buy a cigarette. Since I admired him so much, I said: "Sure. But just know I hope you are trying to quit; smoking is such a repugnant habit." "Zach, if you knew why I smoke cigarettes, you would not say that..." "Oh? Well, um, so why do you smoke?" "I'll tell you after I get the cig." He lit his cigarette, and said: "A couple years ago I was out on a lake with my best friend. Something happened to the canoe. I tried to save him. He drowned. Since then I have been a chain-smoker." "My God. I don't know what to say. I am so sorry, man." That was the last I heard from him. A year later I found out he had committed suicide. He had finished his oral defense and handed in the final draft of his thesis, was ready to receive his diploma, when Reed told him that he could not graduate because the way in which he fulfilled his science requirement was untenable according to their standards of excellence. He killed himself soon thereafter.