"The Impossible Yes-No Question - Can You Answer It?

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The discussion revolves around the concept of yes or no questions that cannot be answered with a straightforward yes or no. Participants explore various examples and scenarios, such as questions that involve complex conditions or assumptions that may not hold true. They highlight that certain questions, like "Have you stopped beating your girlfriend?" or "Did you know you were being watched while breaking into the blue car?" create logical traps where both answers imply something negative. The conversation also touches on personal anecdotes, including social dilemmas involving relationships and communication, illustrating the complexities of answering seemingly simple questions. Overall, the thread emphasizes the nuances of language and the challenges of binary responses in certain contexts.
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What is a yes or no question that is impossible to answer with a no or yes? :confused: There has to be one!
 
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Is 'no' the answer to this question? :biggrin:

Assuming the normal meanings and that you meant truthfully answer with a 'yes' or 'no'.
 
Last edited:
...yes,
 
I don't think there is one.

It is like saying: Can you show me a dog that is not a dog.
 
brudally said:
...yes,
Then 'no' is not the answer to the question.
 
mattmns said:
I don't think there is one.

It is like saying: Can you show me a dog that is not a dog.
I think that

Is 'no' the answer to this question?

is what Mk is after. Try to answer it with a 'yes' or 'no'.
 
Last edited:
Ahh, yes that is what I am after.
 
:confused:
MK is confused because he is wondering if there is one, and I say Yes, which means there is one.
But what question needs to be answered ?
 
Or:

Is yes the answer to this question?

Totally original.
 
  • #10
Well, that is teh question.
 
  • #11
:smile: Who is on first!

Sorry. Let Q denote the question
Is 'no' the answer to this question?​
I think Q is the question Mk was looking for.
 
  • #12
Mk said:
What is a yes or no question that is impossible to answer with a no or yes? :confused: There has to be one!
"Can you say you stole this old lady's purse or be honest?" :smile: (Criminal court cross-examination question.)
 
  • #13
honestrosewater said:
:smile: Who is on first!

Sorry. Let Q denote the question
Is 'no' the answer to this question?​
I think Q is the question Mk was looking for.
:blushing: :blushing:
 
  • #14
Mk said:
Or:

Is yes the answer to this question?

Totally original.
Absolutely, yes, the answer to that question.
 
  • #15
You should have misunderstood that short post, I believe.
 
  • #16
Is there a yes or no question that is impossible to answer with a yes or no? :smile:
 
  • #17
Mk said:
What is a yes or no question that is impossible to answer with a no or yes? :confused: There has to be one!
Are you studying up on how to drive yourself crazy? PF has a nice Philosophy section for that.
 
  • #18
Lisa! said:
Is there a yes or no question that is impossible to answer with a yes or no? :smile:
Well, because of the confusion, I wasn't going to mention this, but it would be nice to know how Mk defines a 'yes or no question'.
If Mk's definition is
x is a yes or no question iff x can be answered with either a yes or a no but not both​
which seems reasonable, then the answer to the original question is of course 'no'. (If x cannot be answered with either a yes or a no but not both, then x is not a yes or no question.)
 
  • #19
honestrosewater said:
Well, because of the confusion, I wasn't going to mention this,
Yes, I thought for a few minutes about the answer of this question and it was really confusing. Anyway I think this question has an answer anyway. I like trick y questions a lot but I don't think this 1 would be 1 of them! :wink:
 
  • #20
djeipa said:
:blushing: :blushing:
Random emoticons from djeipa...
 
  • #21
EnumaElish said:
Random emoticons from djeipa...
I don't know waht's going on in this forum because he's always :blushing: ! :biggrin:
 
  • #22
Lisa! said:
I don't know waht's going on in this forum because he's always :blushing: ! :biggrin:
Yeah, first there were the "Ohhh"s and the "Ahh"s, then an admittance of being high, then comes the blush. (It all started after your scary test made djeipa swallow a piece of gum.)
 
  • #23
Emieno said:
You should have misunderstood that short post, I believe.
Do you mean djeipa miunderstood? I do not think so. The answer to "Is 'yes' the answer to this question?" is tautologically "yes."
 
  • #24
whenever a girl asks you "Do you like my new haircut?"

yes or no is never the right answer because if you say yes, you are just saying it to be nice, if you say no, then you are a jerk.
 
  • #25
A yes/no question that would be impossible to answer with a yes/no would be a complex question or that includes conditions that are not true.

"Did you know that you were being watched while you were breaking into the blue car?"

If you weren't breaking into a car, or it was a green car rather than a blue car, how do you answer that question?
 
  • #26
gravenewworld said:
whenever a girl asks you "Do you like my new haircut?"
Not to mention all her questions meant to be statements; taking them as questions and attempting to answer them is actually dragging your feet for not doing what you are clearly being hinted at. You'd better get acting on it.
 
  • #27
i have a friend she always comes to sit close to me and tries to hug me:blushing: i don't love her but my friends tell me that the girl fancies me :! and she is going to ask me if i like her or not soon. i don't know what i am going to say :confused:. yes or no?
and, i love someone else.:eek:
if i say :no, then i hurt her. yes, then i hurt myself.:cry:
i will say no but don't know how:rolleyes:. can anyone help me?:confused:
 
  • #28
Moonbear said:
A yes/no question that would be impossible to answer with a yes/no would be a complex question or that includes conditions that are not true.

"Did you know that you were being watched while you were breaking into the blue car?"

If you weren't breaking into a car, or it was a green car rather than a blue car, how do you answer that question?
"Are you still abusing your financial responsibilities?"

"No."

"So you've stopped?"
 
  • #29
EnumaElish said:
Not to mention all her questions meant to be statements; taking them as questions and attempting to answer them is actually dragging your feet for not doing what you are clearly being hinted at. You'd better get acting on it.
Oh, you mean the ones like, "Don't you think it's time to take the trash out?" or "Couldn't you watch TV some other time?" or "Can't you ever pick up after yourself?"
 
  • #30
gurkhawarhorse said:
i have a friend she always comes to sit close to me and tries to hug me:blushing: i don't love her but my friends tell me that the girl fancies me :! and she is going to ask me if i like her or not soon. i don't know what i am going to say :confused:. yes or no?
and, i love someone else.:eek:
if i say :no, then i hurt her. yes, then i hurt myself.:cry:
i will say no but don't know how:rolleyes:. can anyone help me?:confused:
You can always say "yes" then drag your feet to act on the implications. (The passive aggressive approach.) But if you don't care about her feelings, or you think she can "take it" or should learn how to, then just say the truth: "I really like you as a friend but I am in a relationship right now."
 
  • #31
Moonbear said:
Oh, you mean the ones like, "Don't you think it's time to take the trash out?" or "Couldn't you watch TV some other time?" or "Can't you ever pick up after yourself?"
Yes these are accurate examples.
 
  • #32
EnumaElish said:
You can always say "yes" then drag your feet to act on the implications. (The passive aggressive approach.) But if you don't care about her feelings, or you think she can "take it" or should learn how to, then just say the truth: "I really like you as a friend but I am in a relationship right now."

thnx. that is what i thought of dong too.
 
  • #33
No, it didn't start after my scary test. I remember it was his emotion from the first day. Go to his first thread and you can see what I said! :wink:

gravenewworld said:
whenever a girl asks you "Do you like my new haircut?"

yes or no is never the right answer because if you say yes, you are just saying it to be nice, if you say no, then you are a jerk.
:smile: That reminds me of a story. Once a woman who just get married, asks his husband "Would you marry again if I'd die before you?"
The man tries to side step her question by saying he can't stay alive after her, he'll kill himself, the life would be intolerable and that kind of things!
The woman insist on having an answer, he says "NO! Never"
She start :cry: ing and says "do you want to say you're having too terrible life with me and hate all women after our marriage that you don't want to make your mistake again?"
The man:"No, I'm having a great time.so yes, I'll marry again for sure perhaps more than 1 time"
The woman: "How cheeky and unfaithful! I'm still alive and you're talking about remarriage and other women? :cry: "
The man finally get angry and kills his wife accidently!
 
  • #34
Lisa! said:
No, it didn't start after my scary test. I remember it was his emotion from the first day. Go to his first thread and you can see what I said! :wink:


:smile: That reminds me of a story. Once a woman who just get married, asks his husband "Would you marry again if I'd die before you?"
The man tries to side step her question by saying he can't stay alive after her, he'll kill himself, the life would be intolerable and that kind of things!
The woman insist on having an answer, he says "NO! Never"
She start :cry: ing and says "do you want to say you're having too terrible life with me and hate all women after our marriage that you don't want to make your mistake again?"
The man:"No, I'm having a great time.so yes, I'll marry again for sure perhaps more than 1 time"
The woman: "How cheeky and unfaithful! I'm still alive and you're talking about remarriage and other women? :cry: "
The man finally get angry and kills his wife accidently!


lol :rolleyes:
 
  • #35
Do you think that's funny?
 
  • #36
well i m in going through a bad time, so i had to laugh to keep my self alive.:blushing:
 
  • #37
Oops! I thought you wouldn't answer my question and :rolleyes"
 
  • #38
oops :rolleyes:
 
  • #39
"Have you stopped beating your gf?"

Answering "no" says that you do beat her, and answering "yes" implies that you used to.

This only works if 'yes' and 'no' are the only responses allowed.
 
  • #40
gurkhawarhorse said:
well i m in going through a bad time, so i had to laugh to keep my self alive.:blushing:
Lemmesee, you're in a relationship but at least one other female is advancing on you... Hm, you must be going through some really tough times. So what's so bad with your life aside from that? Is it so bad you can't tell us?
 
  • #41
rocketboy said:
"Have you stopped beating your gf?"

Answering "no" says that you do beat her, and answering "yes" implies that you used to.

This only works if 'yes' and 'no' are the only responses allowed.

you can also do, "Do you beat your spouse for pleasure?" yes says you do enjoy it, no says you do it, but she deserves it or something.
 
  • #42
"Will you admit that you stole the car?"
 
  • #43
EnumaElish said:
Lemmesee, you're in a relationship but at least one other female is advancing on you... Hm, you must be going through some really tough times. So what's so bad with your life aside from that? Is it so bad you can't tell us?

today she asked me for a kiss in the cheek. i gave :blushing: though no one saw. it was a mistake. :cry: minutes later she came with another question " will u kiss me in lips :confused: , ". :bugeye: every one was seeing just :eek: :cry: :cry: :cry:
there.
i said no. :smile:
she said" cmmon u just kissed me in cheek u can do it in lipe please. every one heard :cry: :cry: :cry:
i went away. :redface: :cry: :cry: :cry:
the girl i like was not there in the school today.
and she doesn't talk to the psycho girl much too.
hope she won't find out.
 
Last edited:
  • #44
gurkhawarhorse said:
the girl i like was not there in the school today.
and she doesn't talk to the psycho girl much too.
hope she won't find out.
Better to assume that she will find out and be ready for her reaction. (Hope for the best, be ready for the worst.) Do you think the liking is reciprocal with the girl you like? Does she know you exist? Would she be upset if she found out, or would she say "gurkawho? Kissed who? Do I care? No?"

And why did you call your schoolmate "psycho"? It appears like she really likes you, and if she was a psycho what would that tell about you?

So that's what makes you think you're in some tough times? Gimme a break.
 
  • #45
EnumaElish said:
So that's what makes you think you're in some tough times? Gimme a break.

no not at all...
 
  • #46
EnumaElish said:
Do you think the liking is reciprocal with the girl you like? Does she know you exist? Would she be upset if she found out,


yep. she is my gf, i met her in my country and she is here in england w/ me. :smile:
 
  • #47
gurkhawarhorse said:
no not at all...
If that's not it, what is it then? Too much HW, too little time? Were you joking when you posted you were in for some tough times?
 
  • #48
gurkhawarhorse said:
yep. she is my gf, i met her in my country and she is here in england w/ me. :smile:
In that case, you are right to be concerned about upsetting her, IMHO. Because you have expectations from each other.
 
  • #49
what happened today was in my mind the whole day so i just posted it.
i didnt want to post "no i m not saying it to u"
and i still wanted to respond to your sympathy.
so i felt that it is worth mentoning.
the tough times are related to my friends back home.
 
  • #50
gurkhawarhorse said:
the tough times are related to my friends back home.
Sorry to hear; I hope that you and they will find the strength to pull through with relative ease and/or unharm.
 

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