Monthly Archives: August 2009

Smullyan’s Paradox

Here is one of the best paradoxes I’ve seen in a long time:

“At a desert oasis, A and B decide independently to murder C. A poisons C’s canteen, and later B punches a hole in it. C dies of thirst. Who killed him?

A argues that C never drank the poison. B claims that he only deprived C of poisoned water. They’re both right, but still C is dead. Who’s guilty?”

[Via Futility Closet]