Which Alice?

Which Alice? Which Alice?

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ALICE IN PUZZLE-LAND that he is a knight—this statement must be false, which makes him a knave! So we have a paradox." "So it seems," said Humpty Dumpty, "and yet—" "I guess the only solution is that the given conditions are impossible," interrupted Alice. "No inhabitant of a knight-knave land could ever make such a statement." "So it would seem," replied Humpty Dumpty, "and yet—" Here Humpty Dumpty paused and got lost deeply in thought "And yet, what?" asked Alice. "And yet, child, I don't really know—I say a knight could have made that statement—at least to you he could." "Why to me?" asked Alice. "Because of the way you reacted!" replied Humpty Dumpty. "Suppose you actually went to such a land and met an inhabitant who did make that statement. What would you make of it?" "I told you," replied Alice, "that I would be doubtful that the given conditions applied. In other words, I would be doubtful that the knights always told the truth and the knaves always lied." "Then you would have no idea whether the speaker was a knight or a knave?" "Of course not," replied Alice, "how could I?" "Then the fellow told the truth after all, so he could be a knight and it could be that the given conditions do hold!" "Oh, dear," said Alice, "it seems that whatever I say is wrong!" "Exactly!" replied Humpty Dumpty triumphantly. "And that's the beautiful part of it!" 100

ALICE IN PUZZLE-LAND<br />

that he is a knight—this statement must be false, which makes him a<br />

knave! So we have a paradox."<br />

"So it seems," said Humpty Dumpty, "and yet—"<br />

"I guess the only solution is that the given conditions are<br />

impossible," interrupted <strong>Alice</strong>. "No inhabitant of a knight-knave<br />

land could ever make such a statement."<br />

"So it would seem," replied Humpty Dumpty, "and yet—"<br />

Here Humpty Dumpty paused and got lost deeply in thought<br />

"And yet, what?" asked <strong>Alice</strong>.<br />

"And yet, child, I don't really know—I say a knight could have<br />

made that statement—at least to you he could."<br />

"Why to me?" asked <strong>Alice</strong>.<br />

"Because of the way you reacted!" replied Humpty Dumpty.<br />

"Suppose you actually went to such a land and met an inhabitant<br />

who did make that statement. What would you make of it?"<br />

"I told you," replied <strong>Alice</strong>, "that I would be doubtful that the<br />

given conditions applied. In other words, I would be doubtful that<br />

the knights always told the truth and the knaves always lied."<br />

"Then you would have no idea whether the speaker was a knight<br />

or a knave?"<br />

"Of course not," replied <strong>Alice</strong>, "how could I?"<br />

"Then the fellow told the truth after all, so he could be a knight<br />

and it could be that the given conditions do hold!"<br />

"Oh, dear," said <strong>Alice</strong>, "it seems that whatever I say is wrong!"<br />

"Exactly!" replied Humpty Dumpty triumphantly. "And that's<br />

the beautiful part of it!"<br />

100

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