What is the Barn Façade Paradox? The Barn Façade Paradox is a brain teaser from the world of physics and big questions about how we see the world. Imagine a barn sitting still. It has a certain size and shape we can all agree on. Now, picture something as big as the barn zooming by you super fast. This paradox messes with your mind by suggesting that this super-fast ‘barn’ might look s... »
What is Parfit’s Teleportation Paradox? Derek Parfit, a famous philosopher, came up with a puzzle about what makes you, you. He wondered if a person were taken apart and then put back together somewhere else, would that person still be the same? Imagine a sci-fi machine like those you see in movies. This machine can scan every tiny bit of a person, then send all that info to a different place wher... »
What is the Preface Paradox? Picture this: you’ve worked really hard on writing a book and meticulously checked each fact. Proudly, you say that every single thing in the book is true. But then, in the book’s preface, which is like an introduction, you mention that, because nobody’s perfect, there’s probably a small error somewhere in the book. Now, that’s a bit confu... »
What is the Plank of Carneades? The Plank of Carneades is a thought-provoking challenge about making tough choices when it comes to right and wrong. Imagine that two sailors have survived a shipwreck and are stuck out in the ocean with only one piece of wood, or plank, to keep them afloat. The problem is, the plank is only big enough for one person. If both of them try to use it, they’ll bot... »
What is the Two Generals’ Problem? The Two Generals’ Problem is like a puzzle from a story about two leaders who need to make the same plan without being able to talk directly. Instead, they send messages, but because these messages might get lost or caught by an enemy, they can never be completely sure the other one got the plan. It’s a big question that makes people think about... »
What is Hilbert’s Hotel Paradox? Imagine a hotel that is not like any hotel you have ever seen: it has an endless number of rooms. Now, think about an infinite number of people, each staying in their own room in this huge hotel. It sounds like it should be impossible to fit another person in, because every room is taken. But with Hilbert’s Hotel Paradox, your mind is about to be blown. If a ... »
What is Plato’s Chariot Allegory? Imagine your mind is a chariot with a driver and two horses. This is what Plato’s Chariot Allegory is all about. One horse is good and listens well, like the part of your thoughts that helps you do what’s right. The other horse is wild, like the feelings you have that might lead you to make bad choices. The driver is like your ability to think and make... »
What is Nozick’s Wilt Chamberlain Argument? The Wilt Chamberlain argument by philosopher Robert Nozick is like a thought puzzle that makes us think about who gets what in society and if that’s fair or not. It asks if letting people freely trade money or things leads to an unfair situation where some people end up with a lot more than others. Nozick tells us about Wilt Chamberlain, a su... »
What is the Paradox of the Stone? Imagine you come across a question that makes you scratch your head: “Can someone who can do anything make something even they can’t handle?” Sounds strange, right? That’s the core of the Paradox of the Stone. It is a problem that smart people who think about big, difficult questions about God and power often look at. The heart of this para... »
What is the Paradox of Thrift? The Paradox of Thrift sounds like a strange idea at first. It basically says that if everyone starts to save more money during tough times, like a big sale where everyone rushes to the bank instead of the store, it can backfire and lead to a weaker economy for us all. Why does this happen? Well, when lots of people shove their money under the mattress instead of spen... »