What is Zeno's Dichotomy Paradox? - Colm Kelleher

Can you ever travel from one place to another? Ancient Greek philosopher Zeno of Elea gave a convincing argument that all motion is impossible - but where's the flaw in his logic? Colm Kelleher illustrates how to resolve Zeno's Dichotomy Paradox.

Lesson by Colm Kelleher, animation by Buzzco Associates, inc.

[tristanh]

Late for a meeting:
Boss: "Why are you late?"
Me: "Let me tell you about a little something called Zenos paradox..."

[sigmaprime]

This dude got tired of thinking so he decided to go for a walk and ended up thinking even more

[thesoundsmith]

I'm afraid of this topic. I guess I have Zeno-phobia...

[someonesomewhere]

I think Zeno really came up with this as an excuse for being late. Good job Zeno.

[proudargie]

In other more convincing words: The fact that the distance to the park can be divided in infinite parts, does not turn said distance itself in infinite.

[philjamieson]

Thanks so much for explaining this paradox in a way that I can finally fully understand it. The animation is also pretty good.
Zeno certainly had a lot of time on his hands - to think. Lucky chap.

[bilalakhtar]

Legend says that Zeno is still traversing to the park.

[Xynic]

Zeno sure likes to make his life harder

[kindnessfirst]

I remember this same idea occurring to me when I was about 10 years old (51 years ago). If I walk towards my bedroom wall at an ever decreasing speed I could keep moving for eternity but never reach the wall. My friends didn't think this idea was interesting but it blow my little mind at the time. Maybe I should have majored in math.

[thanasi]

Dad: son I’m going to the store
Me: okay when will you be back
Dad: *infinity*

[MaksonGamingHD]

When Diogenes heard a similar argument, he just walked away, proving that motion is possible.

[PrajwalNayak-souv]

Sometimes I also have these kind of illogical doubts which seems to be logical, just like Paradoxes of Zeno, but I used to not think much about it as no one gives it importance saying that it is illogical and has an obvious answer. But now Zeno gave me MOTIVATION to think more and have these kind of confusing doubts, or to be precise, Paradoxes

[idrilzorc]

Square: I'm gonna end this man's whole career

[RonaldoFearsEboue]

Zeno had way too much time on his hands.

[tegarabdianto]

Zeno's paradox is a famous paradox in Greek history and mathematics. The Achilles and tortoise race is one of the 8 most famous Zeno paradoxes. Famous for the Greeks failing to explain this paradox. Although now impressed not too difficult, but it took thousands of years before mathematicians can explain it.

[SpecialEDy]

A group of mathematicians walk into a bar, the bartender asks, "what can I get you guys?"
The first mathematician replies, "I'll have a beer."
The second mathematician replies, "I'll have a half of a beer."
The third replies, "I'll have a fourth of a beer."
The fourth replies, "I'll have an eighth of a beer."
And so on...

The bartender returns with two beers.
Outraged, one mathematician demands to the bartender, "how do you expect us to all get drunk off of two beers!"
The bartender replies, "you guys should really know your limits!"

[Treblaine]

Zeno: the world's first practitioner of Troll Physics.

[platoniczombie]

I've talked a lot about this with my friends. We've concluded that the point was to show that logic is not rational on its own. The premise matters, thus, logic is dependent. You can use Logic to prove illogical things as Zeno points out.

[dmr]

Zeno'x paradox is pirate downloading a movie, but downloading stops at 99%...LOL

[GameStach]

What a strange way to explain this problem.
The problem: "I have one mile that I subdivide infinitely many times". Explanation: "Take a square and subdivide it infinitely many times". xD