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

This famous paradox in mathematical logic hasn't received much attention (although it is referred to in http://www.h2g2.com/A256439 but not given much depth). So I've written an entry here:

http://www.h2g2.com/A445024

Any technical or other advice will be happily received

ciaomeow

Hullo,

Just had a good read of your article (about 5 times), and my brain is now aching good and proper.
This is a very interesting & thought provoking article, and IMHO would be a worthy addition to the guide. Can't think of anything that would need changing, personally.



- Adam

Hi again,

I have submitted this entry as part of my scouting quota for the month. The powers at the Towers have read it, and it has made their brains hurt too.
This is quite reassuring as we now know that they have one
They agree that it is deserving of a place in the Edited guide, so here is the official bit to close off this thread:

"Thanks for your recommendation. You'll be glad to know that we think this
entry is great, and it has now gone into the Editorial Process for future
inclusion in the Edited Guide. When it does get into the Edited Guide, we
will email to let you know, but please bear in mind it can take a while for
entries to go through the sub-editing system."

- Adam

Nice entry...

I don't think the offhanded mention of buridan's ass really fits in here - I can't remember why he invented it, but I don't think it was because of a paradox... to show the necessity of making random choices? To prove that sentience requires non-determinism? Just for fun?

Of course, the Liar's paradox is has a 'prove anything' corollory:

"I am lying, or Peta is a winged butterfly". Now, if I am lying, then this statement is true, which is a contradiction. Therfore I must be telling the truth. But if I am telling the truth, I am not lying, so Peta must be a winged butterfly.

Can you mention any of the ways to resolve the paradox? The main one seems to be to ban self-referential statements of any kind from logic, but I guess there are others...

But that statement doesn't implicitly imply what you are lying about, so you can be lying and Peta isn't a butterfly, without causing a paradox. Or something.

Cheers for years!

About Buridan's ass, I just wanted to pop it in there for a little bit of interest... I know it doesn't have anything to do with paradoxes, but it is kind of funny in a way... If anybody objects to it, I can take it out...

ciaomeow

Editorial Note: This thread has been moved out of the Peer Review forum because this entry has now been recommended for the Edited Guide.

I posted some observations regarding this piece, but as a seperate thread. Please hop over and have a look ;-) http://www.h2g2.com/F54811?thread=81198&skip=0&show=20