I came across a research article on logical paradoxes, one of my favorite topics. A paradox is a conclusion that is forced upon us by reasoning, yet still seems counterintuitive or meaningless. There are countless types and for millennia they have perplexed laypeople and experts alike.
Many logical paradoxes are linked to some form of self-reference. One of the oldest and most famous is attributed to the philosopher Epimenides, who lived around 600 BC on the island of Crete. He would have said that “Cretans lie all the time”. As he himself was a Cretan, the question remains: is the statement true or false? Be that as it may, it became so famous that it was quoted by none other than the apostle Paul six centuries later, in his epistle to Titus, to explain the difficulties of evangelizing Crete.
Another four major logical paradoxes are attributed to the philosopher Eubulides, who lived in the 4th century BC in the Greek city of Miletus.
1- The Pile Paradox deals with the limits of the concepts we use in everyday life. A man with 100,000 hairs on his head is certainly not bald. And one more or less doesn’t make a difference either, right? So, if we pull out a hair, he’s still not bald. And if we pull out one more, another one… But if he continues like this, he’ll end up with no hair! At what point does he become bald?
2- The Masked Man Paradox questions what it means to “know” or “to know”. “Do you know this masked man?” asks one. “No,” replies the other. “He’s your father. You mean you don’t know your own father?!” It sounds silly, but it’s not so simple to explain where the problem is.
3- The Horned Man Paradox plays on the idea that what you haven’t lost you still have. “When did you stop smoking?” ask. If the answer is “I haven’t stopped”, what does it mean: that the person is still a smoker, or has never smoked? The paradox exposes ambiguities of language.
4- Finally, the Liar Paradox is a variation of the Epimenides paradox. A (talking…) alligator stole a girl, but promises to return it if the father gives the right answer to the question “Will I return your child?”.
What must the father respond to in order to save the daughter?
Responses are welcome via email [email protected].
