Member of the Month

PartyBullshiit
March, 2024

Online

Welcome to the Newschoolers forums! You may read the forums as a guest, however you must be a registered member to post. Register to become a member today!

The barber paradox... fun stuff

profile picture
Park_Ranger
Posts: 3825 - Karma: 8,634
alright try to answer the paradox. If you have previous knowledge of this paradox, or looked up the answer on the internet, please refrain from commenting on this thread; i just don't want anyone to spoil the answer for those who are actually trying to figure it out with their brains.


Suppose there is a town with just one male barber; and that every man in the town keeps himself clean-shaven: some by shaving themselves, some by attending the barber. It seems reasonable to imagine that the barber obeys the following rule: He shaves all and only those men in town who do not shave themselves. Who shaves the barber?


May 3 2011 3:44PM
0 0
profile picture
.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
His wife? Or some other female? You said there's only one MALE barber in the town, you never specified if there was a female barber.
May 3 2011 3:46PM
1 0
profile picture
E.C.
Posts: 3211 - Karma: 319
this.
May 3 2011 3:47PM
1 0
profile picture
Jib-Ninja
Posts: 2819 - Karma: 20
himself? wat?
May 3 2011 3:47PM
0 0
profile picture
manzear
Posts: 843 - Karma: 849
The wording seems funny, does he shave all? or only those that don't shave themselves....
May 3 2011 3:48PM
0 0
profile picture
manzear
Posts: 843 - Karma: 849
i think I am right, he shaves all...
May 3 2011 3:49PM
0 0
profile picture
Proletariat.
Posts: 1797 - Karma: 45
The female barber
May 3 2011 3:49PM
0 0
profile picture
Park_Ranger
Posts: 3825 - Karma: 8,634
the barber shaves anyone that does not shave himself, and no one else.
May 3 2011 3:50PM
0 0
profile picture
Park_Ranger
Posts: 3825 - Karma: 8,634
the barber can't shave himself, because if he did, then he wouldn't shave every person that doesn't shave himself.
May 3 2011 3:52PM
0 0
profile picture
TechnoPotamus
Posts: 11626 - Karma: 3,522
he shaves everybody else. and he shaves himself. he is the only one who shaves himself.


???
May 3 2011 3:53PM
0 0
profile picture
Park_Ranger
Posts: 3825 - Karma: 8,634
he can't shave himself. if this were the case, then he wouldn't follow the rule of shaving every man that didn't shave himself. if he shaved himself, he would be shaving every man that didn't shave himself, and shave himself. this is a contradiction
May 3 2011 4:03PM
0 0
profile picture
gregorio
Posts: 2372 - Karma: 151
That's a stupid rule. What kind of place has rules like that? Your paradox is dumb. I win
May 3 2011 4:04PM
1 0
profile picture
Park_Ranger
Posts: 3825 - Karma: 8,634
it is not my paradox. it was created by a world renowned philosopher, and is actually very famous.
May 3 2011 4:06PM
0 0
profile picture
Desabrais
Posts: 71 - Karma: 14
The barber is the only man in town and therefore he must shave himself.
May 3 2011 4:08PM
0 0
profile picture
gregorio
Posts: 2372 - Karma: 151
Well then his paradox is flawed, there is no place where there are rules like this, it is not applicable to the real world so it is therefor not worth my time thinking about. That is my point and I am sticking to it
May 3 2011 4:09PM
0 0
profile picture
E.C.
Posts: 3211 - Karma: 319
he has a beard
May 3 2011 4:09PM
0 0
profile picture
manzear
Posts: 843 - Karma: 849
if he only shaves those that don't shave themselves, how can he shave himself...the rule contradicts itself...??
May 3 2011 4:11PM
0 0
profile picture
jibnut
Posts: 3038 - Karma: 304
Women shave....
May 3 2011 4:11PM
0 0
profile picture
.AR6rider.
Posts: 15976 - Karma: 8,799
He can't have a beard. It says that all the men are clean shaven, and if a man doesn't shave himself, he must be shaved by the barber. If the barber doesn't shave off his own beard, he's breaking his rule by not shaving every man who does not shave himself, but on the other hand, if he does shave his beard, he's breaking his rule of only shaving people who don't shave themselves. Hence why it's a paradox.
May 3 2011 4:11PM
0 0
profile picture
Park_Ranger
Posts: 3825 - Karma: 8,634
haha he doesn't shave himself dude... i will go ahead and say that you have an incorrect answer
May 3 2011 4:12PM
0 0
profile picture
gregorio
Posts: 2372 - Karma: 151
that's the point...
May 3 2011 4:13PM
0 0
profile picture
Park_Ranger
Posts: 3825 - Karma: 8,634
alright, your statement is true. one could say that star wars is not applicable to the real world so it is therefor not worth my time thinking about it. this is true, but star wars is awesome and fun; just as this paradox is supposed to be for fun.
May 3 2011 4:14PM
0 0
profile picture
manzear
Posts: 843 - Karma: 849
right, got that...i think that no answer can be given...i like this though..plus k
May 3 2011 4:14PM
0 0
profile picture
-Otto-
Posts: 456 - Karma: 40
Female barber...
May 3 2011 4:16PM
0 0
profile picture
TechnoPotamus
Posts: 11626 - Karma: 3,522
let me simplify this a little bit.



Suppose there is a town with just one female prostitute; and that every man in the town keeps himself serviced daily: some by servicing themselves, some by attending the prostitute. It seems reasonable to imagine that the prostitute obeys the following rule: She wacks off all and only those men in town who do not wack off themselves. Who "wacks off" the prostitute?
May 3 2011 4:17PM
0 0
profile picture
Park_Ranger
Posts: 3825 - Karma: 8,634
haha +k
May 3 2011 4:17PM
0 0
profile picture
gregorio
Posts: 2372 - Karma: 151
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategic_Defense_Initiative

Star wars is applicable in the real world, under the Reagan administration
May 3 2011 4:18PM
0 1
profile picture
Desabrais
Posts: 71 - Karma: 14
The male barber is the only one in the town, so no one even fucking knows.
May 3 2011 4:28PM
0 0
profile picture
VT_FLO
Posts: 3806 - Karma: 147
everybody shaves themselves but the barber.


OR

The barber has cancer and is going through chemo so he doesn't need to shave
May 3 2011 4:31PM
1 0
profile picture
VT_FLO
Posts: 3806 - Karma: 147
everybody shaves themselves including the barber I mean
May 3 2011 4:31PM
0 0
profile picture
TRVP_ANGEL
Posts: 12420 - Karma: 114,484
this is so deep OP
Aug 24 2018 10:31PM
0 0
profile picture
xxACIDTRIPxx
Posts: 5980 - Karma: 8,174
hurt my brain
Aug 25 2018 12:21AM
0 0
profile picture
Z-Juice
Posts: 3151 - Karma: 1,504
It’s a paradox not a riddle
Aug 25 2018 11:53PM
0 0
profile picture
vibecheck
Posts: 3112 - Karma: 15,174
Aug 26 2018 12:10AM
0 0
profile picture
Static
Posts: 8494 - Karma: 4,073
No one shaves the male barber, for he is not yet a man.
Aug 26 2018 11:35AM
0 0
All times are Eastern (-4)