The barber's paradox

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.

Under this scenario, we can ask the following question: Does the barber shave himself?

Originally posted by Thequ1ck
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.

Under this scenario, we can ask the following question: Does the barber shave himself?

You are Bertrand Russell, and I claim my £5,—.

Richard

Yes, at home in front of the mirror 🙂

he goes to the implied female barber

Originally posted by Thequ1ck
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.

Under this scenario, we can ask the following question: Does the barber shave himself?

Obviously the "reasonable" rule is unreasonable. Of course he does.

Originally posted by TomCr
he goes to the implied female barber

Well spotted, although she might go bankrupt with only one client.

Edit - Nah, still doesn't work.

The front door of the barber's shop is in town. The back room where he sits is not, and he shaves himself.

sometimes

the barber shaves himself when he's not shaving himself, and he doesnt shave himself when he is! lol

Originally posted by Thequ1ck
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.

Under this scenario, we can ask the following question: Does the barber shave himself?

ATY already gave the right response. Given your supposition, the barber shaves himself and it is wrong to say that it is reasonable to describe this barber by the rule you provide.

What you present is not a paradox. The "rule" you provide, though, would be where a paradox lies.

The town has an underaged barber fits within the description.

Originally posted by Banana King
the barber shaves himself when he's not shaving himself, and he doesnt shave himself when he is! lol

That's the one.

Originally posted by deriver69
The town has an underaged barber fits within the description.

Or the male barber is a monkey.

Originally posted by JS357
Or the male barber is a monkey.

Or he has Alopecia Universalis. 😵

Yes.. because the barber is born female... 😛