A man comes upon a bridge guarded by a tough landlord. The landlord says to the man, "I'll let you pass if you can tell me something that is true. If you lie, I will throw you in the water." The man says, "You will throw me in the water."
This paradox derives from a problem posed by Plato, but I'm wondering what you think the landlord would do? Obviously, he is lying and should be thrown in the water. But, if he is thrown in the water, it will make him a truthful man. So what do we all think? (I know it's a little too early for philosophy, but it's also a little too early to be drinking, but that doesn't stop me from doing it).
2007-01-12 02:40:23 · 12 answers · asked by johnmfsample 4 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
That's the point of a paradox - it doesn't have a solution as you have already identified.
I'd go back to the drinking if I were you.
2007-01-12 02:45:23 · answer #1 · answered by the_lipsiot 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Landlord was intending to throw him into the water anyway. That would make his answer true. A true paradox
Is not this the real answer to this riddle...>>> To say nothing turn around and not travel the landlords bridge. The man does have a choice... He can not say a word, turn around, maybe make a boat or swim across. The real answer is choice... Why waste time with someone Else's judgment.
2007-01-12 03:36:32 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The land lord says that the man (visitor) should not tell a lie. The land lord has not said that he will always tell the truth and not lie.!
For all we know the landlord told a lie that he will throw the man in the water.
So when the man says " you will throw me in the river" the land lord would say that he told the man a lie.
2007-01-12 03:41:43 · answer #3 · answered by YD 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are no truths or untruths only what we percieve to be true or untrue. There is no way for the landlord to decipher what is/n't true, only what his perception of the truth is. His truth maybe the other man's untruth and vice versa.
As for stating "you said "i will throw you in the water"" as a truth - was it actually said or did the man just percieve it to be said?
And so the debate lives on!
2007-01-12 03:07:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps its a little too early for most things.
i studied the work of the brilliant Sir karl Popper, of whom,incidentally, Plato was a hero of his.
We of course, know of this paradox(Sir karl wrote many years ago, how the great mathematician and nobel prize winner,Bertrand Russel, tried to solve the similar problem;and
Sir karl said it was probably the cause of him going downhill,
for like everyone else,try as he might-and they taught them Well
in those days,my friend-Russel never succeeded).
Popper,i think, always looked(more-or-less correctly) to the "bigger picture".
And he was very aware i think, of the previous Polish school
-poss amoungst others- which was virtually borne out of one
of their scholars attempts to introduce a completely new logic
into our and their world, of true-and-false.(it was called-
"possibility").
The point is i think, that these historical works and writings,
have their qualities,their promise, and their fun.
But beware of taking them too seriously; i mean,rather, too
literally!
Even though we may be aware that some people still
spend their lives studying this,and related pure logical topics;
nevertheless, like the brilliant british Russel found, there is
no definitive answer to this (extremely,small "e") clever
puzzle.
2007-01-12 03:09:24 · answer #5 · answered by peter m 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
" you will throw me in the water is a hypothetical statement there for non truth because it didn't actually happen. However, had he said," you just SAID that you will throw me in the water." That would have made it a true statement. Plato was probably drunk at the time.
2007-01-12 02:52:32 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd throw him in the water. I asked him to tell me something that IS true. He told me of something that WILL (or might) be true.
Semantics? I don't think so. At best he tells me a contingent truth. He needs me to complete the truth. I have free will. How does he know if I am lying or not?
(This is as deep (or shallow) as I want to go at this time of day)
Peace
2007-01-12 03:16:46 · answer #7 · answered by zingis 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The only solution I can give is that at first he will throw him in he water and next he will let him pass. The other way around does not work.
2007-01-12 03:05:15 · answer #8 · answered by stevevil0 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is never too early to b drinking ! lol at least not in my opinion. now for the bridge i say...... hmm.........that is tough. i don't know a good answer but i do say through him in the water for being a smart a$$ after congratulating him on being so smart.
2007-01-12 11:13:07 · answer #9 · answered by ~*These Blue Eyes Tell No Lies*~ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
bring a boat screw the landlord catch a fish on the way over
2007-01-12 09:04:02 · answer #10 · answered by great white fisherman 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋