what comes first chicken or the egg?

Answer 1

The chicken or the egg is a reference to the causality dilemma which arises from the expression "which came first, the chicken or the egg?". Since both the chicken and the egg create the other in certain circumstances (a chicken emerges from an egg; an egg is laid by a chicken) it is ambiguous which originally gave rise to the other. Purely logical attempts to resolve the dilemma result in an infinite regress, since an egg was caused by a chicken, which was caused by an egg, etc. Since every chicken originates from its egg, it seems obvious the egg came first. Put simply, the reason is down to the fact that genetic material does not change during an animal's life. The solution may require an examination of syntax and may rely on verification from advances in modern genetic science. When used in reference to difficult problems of causality, the chicken and egg dilemma is often used to appeal to the futility of debate and lay it to rest.

History of the problem

The earliest reference to the dilemma is found in Plutarch's Moralia, in the books titled "Table Talk," in a series of arguments based on questions posed in a symposium. Under the section entitled, "Whether the hen or the egg came first," the discussion is introduced in such a way as to suggest that the origin of the dilemma was even older:

"...the problem about the egg and the hen, which of them came first, was dragged into our talk, a difficult problem which gives investigators much trouble. And Sulla my comrade said that with a small problem, as with a tool, we were rocking loose a great and heavy one, that of the creation of the world..."

Various answers have been formulated in response to the question, many of them humorous.

Answer 2

The chicken came before the chicken egg. This is because the first chicken was inside of an egg that was layed by a non-chicken.

Answer 3

The egg came first. An egg is a generic form of reproduction, not exclusive to the chicken, so it is likely that the forefathers of the chicken hatched from an egg, even tho they were technically what we would call chickens today.

Answer 4

Only know how it works in my house: Dog's get the chicken for dinner, then I have 2 eggs for dinner, so the chicken came first.

Answer 5

egg first.

As evolution goes, the ancientor of chicken start to develop the egg forms of reproductions. The "egg " contains the nutrient and protection for the next offsprings. And at that time, that early bird ancientor is not called chicken. The bird ancientor still takes years of evolution until it becomes the chicken of today.
So, even the ancientor of chicken already has the egg, so egg is first.

Answer 6

Had this question several times before. I normally prefer an egg in the morning and then chicken tonight.

Answer 7

Scientist believe it was the egg that hatched the chicken via evolution. Of course, the real answer is the chicken -- it evolved from whatever else before it laid an egg.

Answer 8

the chicken

1) there must be a chicken to lay an egg
2) Adam, in theology, was put in charge of animals not eggs
3) an egg could not come into being without a source, a chicken could heave evolved from something else

Answer 9

Depends on if you are talking about a salad.

But seriously - I think God created the chicken. It would have been much easier this way or He would have to look after lots of baby animals, hatch eggs etc...

Answer 10

Egg , then chicken , ive never seen a chicken that became an egg , but ive seen eggs that became chickens