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August 19, 2016
10 Mind-Boggling Paradoxes
His mother pleads with the crocodile to return him, to which the crocodile replies that he will only return the boy safely if the mother can guess correctly whether or not he will indeed return the boy. There is no problem if the mother guesses that the crocodile will return him—if she is right, he is returned; if she is wrong, the crocodile keeps him. If she answers that the crocodile will not return him, however, we end up with a paradox: if she is right and the crocodile never intended to return her child, then the crocodile has to return him, but in doing so breaks his word and contradicts the mother’s answer. On the other hand, if she is wrong and the crocodile actually did intend to return the boy, the crocodile must then keep him even though he intended not to, thereby also breaking his word. - - | Mental Floss
Posted by gerardvanderleun at August 19, 2016 10:30 PM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.
Your Say
One's intention is not one's word. There is no paradox. My momma taught me about intentions and their worth. It's one's word that binds.
Posted by: Joan of Argghh! ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://americandigest.org/sidelines/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 20, 2016 4:18 AM
And if the mother is Jewish and the croc returns the kid, she'll say, "He had a hat!"
Posted by: Vermont Woodchuck at August 20, 2016 5:49 AM
Vermont - Had to Google that one.
Posted by: BillH at August 20, 2016 8:51 AM
The third way: the mother beats the crocodile to death with her alligator leather pocketbook, grabs her boy and smacks him for playing with crocs rather than tigers.
Posted by: Stug Guts at August 20, 2016 3:09 PM
First, Is the crocodile Democrat or Republican. We know if it is a Democrat it will have no choice but to lie.
Posted by: Neither more nor less at August 21, 2016 5:43 AM