Barber's Paradox: Did He Shave Himself?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the Barber's Paradox, a logical puzzle concerning a barber who shaves all and only those men who do not shave themselves. Participants explore whether the barber shaves himself, leading to various interpretations and implications of the paradox.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the barber must shave himself since he is the only barber in town, while others argue that he cannot shave himself based on the conditions set in the paradox.
  • A participant introduces a scenario with two barbers, proposing that the condition of their haircuts influences the reasoning about who shaves whom.
  • Several participants analyze the implications of the barber shaving himself or not, leading to contradictory conclusions that reinforce the paradox.
  • Some contributions draw parallels to Russell's Paradox, discussing its implications and the philosophical nature of such logical inconsistencies.
  • Others assert that the barber cannot exist due to the logical contradictions inherent in the scenario, suggesting that the paradox leads to absurdity.
  • One participant humorously introduces their own paradox, indicating the playful nature of the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views, with no consensus on whether the barber shaves himself or if he exists at all. The discussion remains unresolved, with multiple competing interpretations and logical analyses presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the importance of definitions and assumptions in understanding the paradox. The discussion reveals limitations in the original phrasing and the potential for varying interpretations based on the logical structure of the problem.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to those exploring logical paradoxes, philosophical implications of self-reference, and the foundations of set theory.

  • #31
No one shaves the barber since the barber has a beard.
 
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  • #32
Chuck Norris shaved the barber.
 
  • #33
DaveC426913 said:
Part II:
A little known fact: There were actually TWO barbers in Seville (and the next nearest barber is a hundred mile train ride away in Quadalquivir).

The barber mentioned by Edguardo runs a very tight ship; his shop is spotlessly clean, as is his attire. He has perfectly groomed nails, teeth and hair - the very model of a clean, well-groomed gentleman. The other barber, on the other side of the tracks has a dirty shop, with hair on the floor. He's dressed in old clothes, with grimy nails, yellow teeth, B.O. and a terrible haircut - he's a slob.

You've just blown into town for a convention and absolutely must get a haircut. Who do you go to?

Who charges less?? The second guy sounds like my dad. Tell him I said 'hey'
 
  • #34
The Barber of Seville was actually a code name for a CIA operative investigating a former Soviet scientist now allegedly in the employ of Al Qaeda. From what little can be gleaned from the below records, between the years of 2000 and 2004 the "Barber" investigateed at least three unidentifed suspects in the Seville area. Former CIA employee Valerie Plame confirms that the CIA would regularly use the euphamism "close shave" to refer to missed assassination attempts, and a "full shave" to indicate one was successful. Operatives in the field were equipped with a singe cyanide suicide pill, and hence could "shave" themselves to avoid capture. As we all know, the Barber did not shave himself, and hence must still be alive and perhaps even working for the CIA today

A request through the Open Records Act to the CIA retrieved this censored debriefing file on the mission, complete with review notes and fingerprint smudges

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/3598/thebarberofseville.jpg
 
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  • #35
Who said the barber even HAD hair to shave :smile:
 
  • #36
AUMathTutor said:
Chuck Norris shaved the barber.

He also one time struck lightening.
 
  • #37
couldn't he just wax? :P
 

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