🎧 Livre Audio - Rapport Minoritaire / Minority Report (Nouvelle) - Philip K. Dick - 1956

Pierre Cramel・2 minutes read

Norton offers Wittwer a job as his assistant at a pre-crime organization that prevents crimes before they happen, leading to ethical dilemmas and suspicions within the organization. A complex chain of events involving manipulation of data, setups, and betrayals ultimately reveals the flaws in the pre-crime system and the innocence of those arrested.

Insights

  • Norton, the founder of the pre-crime organization, takes pride in its success rate of preventing crimes based on predictions by precognitive individuals known as pre-cogs.
  • Wittwer questions the ethical concerns of arresting individuals before they commit crimes based on predictions, sparking a debate on the system's morality.
  • Jerry, a mutant with precognitive abilities, uncovers a minority report that challenges the majority predictions, leading to a critical shift in events and highlighting the system's fallibility.

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Recent questions

  • What is pre-crime and how does it work?

    Pre-crime uses precognitive abilities to predict future crimes.

  • Who is Norton and what is his role in pre-crime?

    Norton is the founder of pre-crime and takes pride in its success.

  • What is the significance of minority reports in pre-crime?

    Minority reports can change events based on precognitive abilities.

  • Who is Lisa and how does she impact the events in the story?

    Lisa is Norton's wife and plays a significant role in the conspiracy.

  • How does the story address the ethical implications of pre-crime?

    The story raises ethical questions about arresting individuals based on future predictions.

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Summary

00:00

"Pre-crime founder faces murder prediction suspicion"

  • Norton, a man, meets a young man named Wittwer in his office, trying to establish a friendly relationship.
  • Norton offers Wittwer a position as his assistant until he retires, emphasizing his control over the situation.
  • Wittwer is shown around the pre-crime organization by Norton, learning about their unique method of preventing crimes before they happen.
  • The pre-cogs, individuals with precognitive abilities, predict future crimes, allowing pre-crime to intervene before they occur.
  • The pre-cogs' predictions are recorded on punched cards and analyzed by machines, leading to the prevention of 99.8% of crimes.
  • Wittwer questions the ethical implications of arresting individuals who have not yet committed a crime but are predicted to do so.
  • Norton reveals that he was the founder of pre-crime and takes pride in its success in reducing crime rates.
  • A card is discovered predicting that Norton will commit a murder in the future, leading to suspicion and fear within the organization.
  • Lisa, Norton's wife, is introduced, and suspicions arise regarding her potential involvement in a conspiracy to alter the pre-cogs' predictions.
  • Norton becomes increasingly paranoid and suspicious of those around him, especially after discovering the incriminating prediction about himself.

15:33

"Plot to Frame Anderton Unravels"

  • Lisa is shocked to hear that someone is trying to take Anderton's place and kill him, but she finds it hard to believe.
  • Anderton suspects that Wittwer is plotting against him, but he lacks concrete proof.
  • Anderton shows Lisa a card that indicates he will be removed from his position due to a fabricated plot against him.
  • Anderton fears losing control of Pre-Crime to the Senate and the police if he is ousted.
  • Anderton feels resentment towards Wittwer for potentially replacing him.
  • Lisa points out that the card Anderton showed her has a different name on it, not Wittwer's, suggesting a setup.
  • Anderton is taken by armed men to a luxurious residence where he meets Leopold Kaplan, who questions him about the murder plot.
  • Kaplan reveals that the card was manipulated to frame Anderton and relieve him of his duties.
  • Anderton realizes he was set up and faces the prospect of being sent to a detention camp.
  • The radio announces Anderton as a dangerous criminal, and Kaplan plans to neutralize him with the help of the police.

29:37

"Escape from Collision: A Mysterious Setup"

  • The protagonist feels overwhelmed by exhaustion and insecurity, almost succumbing to a neurotic fantasy.
  • A screeching sound alerts the protagonist as he struggles to control his vehicle.
  • A delivery truck emerges from the fog, leading to a collision.
  • The protagonist experiences intense pain and panic as flames crackle around him.
  • He is rescued by a mysterious figure named Fleming, who reveals a setup involving a criminal named Kaplan.
  • Fleming instructs the protagonist to change his identity, providing him with necessary documents and money.
  • The protagonist, now known as Ernest Hempel, receives new identity papers and cash.
  • He discovers $10,000 in notes along with instructions to examine the contents of a package.
  • The protagonist navigates through slums and interacts with a hotel employee named Quillan.
  • The story delves into the origins of the precrime system and the importance of minority reports in predicting future events.

44:27

"Mutant prisoner uncovers crime, sparks conflict"

  • Jerry, a mutant prisoner of circuit cables for 15 years, had a precocious talent detected at 6 years old buried under damaged tissue.
  • Jerry dismantled shields protecting magnetic tapes and extracted recent data for analysis.
  • Jerry located his own card section on a tape, revealing a crime in the report.
  • Jerry's precognition was in a different spatio-temporal zone, affecting his perception of reality.
  • Jerry's minority report took precedence over the majority report, leading to a change in events.
  • Jerry made a high-speed copy of the report as proof of an invalid card, leading to a realization of a planned murder.
  • Jerry's wife, Lisa, discovered the truth and decided to take action to protect Jerry.
  • Lisa confronted Anderton, discussing the authenticity of reports and the existence of Pre-Crime.
  • Lisa, armed with a pistol, confronted Anderton about the ethical implications of Pre-Crime.
  • A struggle ensued in a fast cruiser, resulting in a confrontation with Fleming, leading to a fatal outcome for Fleming.

58:37

"Army, police, and conspiracy unravel in suspense"

  • Fleming, an adult in the army, is linked to the secret service and has a certificate from General Leopold Kaplan, indicating special protection from the International League of Veterans.
  • Kaplan's orders were premeditated, saving Fleming from the police, starting when Kaplan's men arrived at Fleming's house.
  • Fleming realized Kaplan's intentions and contacted Woods Heures for help, using a communication circuit on the dashboard.
  • Anderton, Fleming's wife, nervously contacts the New York police for urgent assistance through a confidential channel.
  • Anderton discovers Kaplan's men collecting information on precog reports, leading to a confrontation with Kaplan.
  • The police system faces dissolution due to Kaplan's ultimatum to dismantle the precog system or face army hostility.
  • Anderton, with a group of police officers, locates Kaplan and other members of the league, resulting in Kaplan's death and the escape of others.
  • A conspiracy against the police by Kaplan is revealed through tapes analyzed by Donna and Mike, leading to a military coup.
  • Anderton contemplates killing Kaplan to prevent the army from discrediting the police, despite the risks involved.
  • Anderton, who had never killed anyone, prepares to confront Kaplan at a military parade, where Kaplan plans to expose false accusations against Anderton.

01:12:58

Kaplan Exposes Flaws in Pre-Crime System

  • General Kaplan receives a leather briefcase containing crucial evidence and expresses willingness to be cited as an example.
  • Kaplan, indicating stiffness, prepares to leave and invites others to accompany him to the platform.
  • Kaplan, with contained vehemence, aims to showcase the living proof of his statements - the murderer and victim together.
  • Anderton, eager to act, prompts the disconcerted Kaplan to head towards the platform.
  • Kaplan, amidst a crowd, reveals the innocence of Anderton, highlighting the false accusations and flawed pre-crime system.
  • Kaplan elaborates on the flawed pre-crime system, emphasizing the paradox of predicting future crimes and the innocence of those arrested.
  • Anderton, understanding the situation, contemplates the implications and complexities of the reports, leading to a shocking revelation and a tragic event.
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