h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Perhaps the barber was bald! then he wouldn't need hishair cut!!!

Z.

If the barber was bald, he would belong to the group of people who do not cut their own hair, putting us right back where we started, with the original paradox.

*Stands paradoxically corrected*

Hi researcher ******

Don't be just a number go back to your space and edit your page and choose a name while you're there how about putting an intro in as well,
if you want to participate in more active conversations check out some of my favorites
ask the community
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/F19585

Writers workshop
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I'd unsubsribed from this thread but spotted your posting in the last link and recognised by headiing!

If you put an intro on your page an ACE (assistant Community Editor) can s=come along and say Hi and give you some more good advice and tips!

Z.

If you combine both groups, you get a group of all people who get their hair cut by somebody. As the barber is bald, he does not have to have his hair cut, so he cannot be in this group. If he is not in the combined group, he cannot be in either of the smaller groups.
The barber must belong to a completely new group, one containing people without hair, or one containing people who do not get their hair cut.
Paradox solved.

I guess the barber is a trained Chimpanzee, hence being exempt on the "people" clause...

We all forget the most obvious solution, it is nowhere stated that he must be the only barber. So the other barber cuts his hair. Even more, this invalidates the first statement "He cuts the hair of ALL people who do not cut their own hair". This ends the paradox again.

That's true, but only because the quote in the article is flawed; last time I saw this it started out with "A small town has a single barber...".

However, even that can be got round by saying the barber goes to another town to get his hair cut!

The logic in my previous posting is easier; simplified, one of the basic premises in the "paradox" is that every *person* gets their hair cut, either by themselves or by the barber. No hippies, no exceptions... So, the only way out of the paradox is if the barber isn't a person...