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Which Alice?

Which Alice?

Which Alice?

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And That's the Beautiful Part of It!<br />

"Now," continued Humpty Dumpty, "Lillian is a lady of the<br />

community, but it is not given whether or not she is a member of<br />

the Hearts Club. Richard is a man of the community, and it is also<br />

not given whether or not he is a member of the Hearts Club. Can it<br />

be determined whether or not Richard loves Lillian?"<br />

"I don't see how!" replied <strong>Alice</strong>.<br />

"Ah, that's because you don't think!" replied Humpty Dumpty.<br />

"Yes, child," he continued, "it is possible to determine it. In fact—<br />

ah, you may not believe what I am going to tell you! What I am<br />

going to tell you—oh, yes, you may well look surprised! What I am<br />

going to tell you is that in such a town, all the men must love all the<br />

ladies!"<br />

<strong>Alice</strong> thought about this. "I still don't see why," she finally said.<br />

"Well, child, it follows from the first premise that every lady in the<br />

town must belong to the Hearts Club. Why? Because, take any lady:<br />

either she doesn't belong to all clubs or she does belong to all clubs.<br />

If the former, then, by the first premise, she must belong to the<br />

Hearts Club. If the latter, then of course she belongs to the Hearts<br />

Club, since the Hearts Club is one of all the clubs. So in either case,<br />

she belongs to the Hearts Club. This proves that all the ladies in<br />

town belong to the Hearts Club."<br />

"I see that," said <strong>Alice</strong>.<br />

"Well," continued Humpty Dumpty, "it follows from the second<br />

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