Hello.
I'm looking to collect paradoxes for an article I will write soon, and I'm pretty sure you guys would have plenty to share. Basically, the paradox can be scientific or non-scientific in nature, no matter. To give you an idea of what I'm looking for, here's what I've got so far:
So I'd appreciate anything you have to contribute. Already existing ones, ones you've made up, even links.
TIA.
I'm looking to collect paradoxes for an article I will write soon, and I'm pretty sure you guys would have plenty to share. Basically, the paradox can be scientific or non-scientific in nature, no matter. To give you an idea of what I'm looking for, here's what I've got so far:
The Shampoo-User's Paradox
Ever notice those shampoo bottles that come with these instructions:
1) Wet hair
2) Massage shampoo into scalp
3) Leave for two minutes
4) Rinse
5) Repeat
This would finish the shampoo off in a single shower!!
The Quit-Smoking Paradox
(This one happens to me )
Often, some "How to quit smoking tips" will suggest that everytime you can successfully resist the urge to not smoke a cigarette, put some money in a little box. At the end of the month, take the money, and reward yourself.
I tried this, and the problem was that at the end, I would use the money to buy extra cigarettes, which would once again bring me to the same level of addiction I was in the first place.
The Compulsive Liar's Paradox
If a compulsive liar tells you he's lying, is he telling the truth?
The Gamblers Paradox:
a compulsive gambler would gamble so much, odds would have it he win a ocuple times, and most likely, one big thing, or a bunch of small things. the money won would go back into his gambling.
The Javascript Paradox #1
A user goes to a certain page, say index1.html, and it redirects him to index2.html. index2.html, in turn, redirects to index1.html. The user is stuck.
The Javascript Paradox #2
A user visits a certain page, index1.html. The scripting is written such as to launch a new browser with the same page upon exit of the first page.
the Arrow
An arrow in flight is really at rest. for at every point in its flight, the arrow must occupy a length of space exactly equal to its own length. after all, it cannot occupy a greater length, nor a lesser one. but the arrow cannot move within this length it occupies. it would need extra space in which to move, and it of course has none. so at every point in its flight, the arrow is at rest.and if it is at rest at every moment of its flight, then it follows that it is at rest during the entire flight.
Mailer Daemon Paradox
Two friends set their respective email accounts to "vacation mail," which would respond with an automated message to every message sent to them.
Then, one friend mails the other to say he's going on vacation. The email is responded to with a vacation mail, which in turn is responded to with a vacation mail. This continued, until either or both accounts fill up, after which Mailer Daemon's are exchanged, and responded to. (Not a practical situation, but could have been possible)
Heap of Sand
One grain of sand does not make a heap. Two grains of sand do not make a heap either. Therefore, three grains do not make a heap either. This can go on, until say, 10000 grains of sand, but that would still not make it a heap of sand.
God's Stone
Can god create a stone so heavy that even he cannot lift it?
Olber's Paradox
In a Newtonian Universe, the stars, being infinite in number, would be distributed randomly throughout space. This would logically imply that every direction we look, our line of sight would fall upon a star's surface. Stars that are farther away, would appear individually dimmer, but there are more of them. Nearby clusters of stars would contain several bright stars, and more distant clusters would have dimmer stars, and these would cancel each other out. Hence, the amount of light reaching us, on average, is the same in every direction. Although the light from these would be feeble compared to, say, a light bulb, but considering the Universe is infinite, all these would add up, and the sky would be as bright as the surface of a star.
So I'd appreciate anything you have to contribute. Already existing ones, ones you've made up, even links.
TIA.