A man was to be sentenced, and the judge told him, "You may make a statement. If it is true, I'll sentence you to four years in prison. If it is false, I'll sentence you to six years in prison." After the man made his statement, the judge decided to let him go free. What did the man say?
ANSWER AWAY!!!
Originally posted by sloppybIf we assume that the statement "you will sentence me to 6 years in prison" is true, then the judge is obliged to sentence the man to 4 years in prison. However, this contradicts the original assumption that the statement is true. If, on the other hand, we assume that the statement is false, then the judge is obliged to sentence the man to 6 years in prison. However, this contradicts the original assumption that the statement is false. Therefore, the truth or falsehood of the statement "you will sentence me to 6 years in prison" is indeterminable, and hence the judge let the man go free.
please explain
Kurt Godel would be shocked to see his Incompleteness Theorem abused in such a manner. 😉
Originally posted by sloppybwell, lets see here.
please explain
the prisoner asks for 6 years.
If the judge gives him 6 years, this will mean that the statement is true. But if its true then he should get four year.
Similarly, if he gets four years, the statement is false, meanig he should get 6 years.
Logically, the judge cannot give the prisoner either of the sentences and instead of doing something sensible like hitting the prisoner with the little judges hammer, the judge lets the prisoner go.
Phil.
Originally posted by MrPhilOf course, letting him go isn't any more logical than any other action - e.g. life imprisonment. Or, as you suggest, a good working over with a heavy object.
Logically, the judge cannot give the prisoner either of the sentences and instead of doing something sensible like hitting the prisoner with the little judges hammer, the judge lets the prisoner go.
Originally posted by sloppybThis is an old riddle. I've seen it before.
are the riddles too easy or something?
Not only that, but this riddle pattern is old and common. Similar is the one that goes:
Lacey is trying to get to Freaktown. She comes to a fork in the road. There are two men standing there.
There is a sign - "you may ask one question. One of these man always lies; the other always tells the truth".
How can Lacy figure out how to get to Freaktown with certainty? Which road must she take?
Originally posted by AThousandYoungActually I don't know if that's the same riddle pattern, but it's also an old riddle in which the person must play language games in order to solve the problem.
This is an old riddle. I've seen it before.
Not only that, but this riddle pattern is old and common. Similar is the one that goes:
Lacey is trying to get to Freaktown. She comes to a fork in the road. There are two men standing there.
There is a sign - "you may ask one question. One of these man always lies; the other always tells the t ...[text shortened]...
How can Lacy figure out how to get to Freaktown with certainty? Which road must she take?
Originally posted by AThousandYoungHow about when there is only one man standing at the fork who either lies or tells the truth randomly, and only one question allowed....
Actually I don't know if that's the same riddle pattern, but it's also an old riddle in which the person must play language games in order to solve the problem.
Originally posted by iamatigerI don't know that this one has an answer.
How about when there is only one man standing at the fork who either lies or tells the truth randomly, and only one question allowed....
If it did, it would be something like "If I were to ask you if that way is the way to Freaktown, would you say yes?"
The problem is, he answers randomly, his next statement might have the opposite truth value, rendering the standard analysis inapplicable.
Now if we knew all his statements had the same truth value, then we could determine which way...