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Which Alice?

Which Alice?

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<strong>Which</strong> <strong>Alice</strong>?<br />

"Now, just a minute," said Michael, "you don't expect me to<br />

believe the Red King's theory, do you?"<br />

"Why not?" I replied, scarcely able to restrain a smile. "It's the<br />

most ridiculous theory I ever heard in my life!" "Why?" I asked.<br />

"Isn't the theory logically possible?" "Of course not!" cried<br />

Michael. "The whole theory is crazy from beginning to end!"<br />

"But the King proved that his theory was correct, didn't he?" I<br />

asked.<br />

There was a long, thoughtful pause. <strong>Alice</strong> was the first to break<br />

the silence.<br />

"Not really," she said, "the Red King's proof was fallacious." "Just<br />

where was the fallacy?" I innocently inquired. "The entire<br />

argument was circular," replied <strong>Alice</strong>. "The proofs that a person<br />

who believes he is of Type A must be awake, and that a person who<br />

believes he is awake must be of Type A—these proofs depend on<br />

the theory being correct in the first place!" "Very good!" I replied.<br />

"That's exactly the fallacy!" "So I was right!" exclaimed Michael.<br />

"The theory is false!" "No, no!" I sharply corrected. "<strong>Alice</strong> didn't<br />

prove that the theory is false; she merely proved that the Red<br />

King failed to prove that the theory is true. But just because the<br />

King's proof was wrong doesn't mean that the theory itself is<br />

wrong."<br />

"It's the silliest theory I ever heard!" said Michael quite emphatically.<br />

"Silly is one thing; logically impossible is another," I<br />

answered. "I<br />

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