Simple Definitions of the Grelling–Nelson Paradox Imagine you have a box labeled “Things That Are Not Boxes.” The question is: can this box contain itself? If it can, then it no longer fits the label because it’s no longer something that is not a box. However, if it can’t contain itself, it does fit the label, but we have a problem because it should be able to contain thing... »
What is the Paradox Of Beneficial Retirement? Imagine you come across a puzzle where you have to choose between stopping work early to enjoy your life or keep working because it’s good for your health and mind. That puzzle is what we call the Paradox of Beneficial Retirement. Let me explain it in a way that’s easy to understand. A paradox is like a riddle that doesn’t seem to make sense at first. ... »
What is the Paradox of Historical Narratives? Imagine you’re reading a story about a famous battle in history. One book tells it one way, with the heroes and villains switched around from what you read somewhere else. This confusion is what we call the Paradox of Historical Narratives. It’s like a puzzle where every piece seems to tell a different story. First, let’s break this d... »
What is the Paradox Of Deontic Logic? In simple terms, the Paradox of Deontic Logic happens when a set of rules or guidelines tells us what we should do, but those rules end up confusing us because they seem to say two opposite things at the same time. Think of it like a game where one rule says “Do A” and another rule says “Don’t do A” – it makes you scratch your hea... »
What is the Paradox of Free Will? Imagine every choice you’ve made today—what to wear, what to eat, or even what to read. It feels like you decide these things on your own. This idea that we can pick one thing over another without anything making us do it is often called “free will”. But there’s a puzzle that has made smart people scratch their heads for centuries. It’s cal... »
What is the Paradox of Omniscience? The Paradox of Omniscience asks a big question: Can someone really know everything? “Omniscience” is a fancy term for knowing all that can be known. But what if there are things that no one can know? The trouble starts when we think about if an all-knowing person, or “omniscient being,” could know these impossible things. Like, there̵... »
What is Paradox Of Repugnant Conclusion? Imagine you have to choose between two options: a world where a million people live really happy lives, or one where a billion people live but only have a tiny bit of happiness. The Paradox of the Repugnant Conclusion is a tough question that asks which of these options is better. It was thought up by Derek Parfit, a smart thinker who wrote about it in his ... »
What is the Counterfeit Coin Problem? The Counterfeit Coin Problem is a puzzle that tests your brainpower. Picture this: you have several coins that look exactly the same, but one of them is not real—it’s a counterfeit. This fake coin is a tiny bit heavier or lighter than the rest, but you don’t know which. Your mission is to pick out this one counterfeit coin by using the least amount... »
What is the Paradox Of Non-Identity? Imagine you have a choice that will change someone’s future, but that person doesn’t exist yet. Your choice could create a situation that isn’t the best for this future person, but if you made a different choice, that person would never be born at all. This tricky situation is what we call the Paradox of Non-Identity. It asks us a tough questi... »
Simple Definitions of the Moody Puzzle The Moody Puzzle is like a tricky brain teaser where someone is told they will have a surprise, but they try to guess when the surprise will happen. This puzzle makes us question if we can really predict a surprise or if just trying to guess ruins the surprise itself. Imagine you’re promised a pop quiz next week, and you won’t know which day it wi... »