The Liar's Paradox
The Cretans are always liars.
(A Cretan philosopher, of course.)
The trademark version of this classic logic puzzle, along with very possibly the perfect final exam question, has been posted by Frederic Glaize at Le petit Musee des Marques.
A trademark of the word "COUNTERFEIT" -- for clothing and accessories, no less?
Setting aside conundrums of registrability (and yes, there's an English-language U.S. counterpart), imagine a "COUNTERFEIT®" handbag that is allegedly counterfeited by another handbag maker and clearly labeled "COUNTERFEIT." Which is the real counterfeit? Exactly.
Bonus point: What iconic starship captain was a master of using the liar's paradox to attack unfriendly artificial intelligences?
Comments
haha. very clever. but a bit ugly!
Posted by: beauty salon chelmsford | November 22, 2006 05:33 AM
Is it wrong that this kind of amuses me & I could see why someone would have it? Not just for irony but as some kind of way to defy all the folks who buy the real thing?
Posted by: ambika | November 22, 2006 11:28 AM
James Tiberius Kirk, Captain of the Starship Enterprise. Yes, I saw it in the original. I am old, and I am still a geek. A Counterfeit Chic Geek!
Posted by: La BellaDonna | November 27, 2006 12:19 PM