The most famous paradoxes in history
The top 3 according to 0 votes from people: Achilles and the tortoise · The arrow · The dichotomy. (Updated Jun 16, 2022.)
From Achilles who never catches the tortoise to Schrödinger's cat, from the Cretan liar to the barber who doesn't know who shaves him: the paradoxes that drive philosophers and scientists mad. Which one is the most brilliant?
Automatically translated (original in Italiano). See the original
Top 10
-
1
Achilles and the tortoise
Zeno: Achilles never catches the tortoise, because he must cover infinitely many stretches.
-
2
The arrow
Zeno: at every instant, the flying arrow is at rest.
-
3
The dichotomy
Zeno: to arrive you must first go halfway, then half of that, forever.
-
4
The liar paradox
Epimenides the Cretan says all Cretans are liars.
-
5
The crocodile paradox
The crocodile will return the child only if the mother guesses what it will do.
-
6
The sorites paradox
Taking away one grain at a time, when does it stop being a heap?
-
7
The barber paradox
The barber shaves everyone who doesn't shave themselves: so who shaves him?
-
8
The grandfather paradox
If you go back in time and prevent your own birth, how did you go back?
-
9
Catch-22
To be discharged you must be mad, but asking for it proves you are sane.
-
10
Schrödinger's cat
A cat in a box, both alive and dead until someone looks.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first!