Paradoxes that No One Can Solve

This video is #sponsored by Tiege Hanley

[peterswires]

The Bootstrap Paradox reminds me of something I heard about the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. The BBC always covered it on the radio, so there'd be a commentator telling the listeners which team was ahead at every stage. However, at one point, the Thames curved in such a way that the commentator couldn't see the boats. However, he knew an ingenious way of telling who was winning at that point: he's heard that a man whose garden was near the river had a flagpole, and he'd hoist the team colour of whichever boat was ahead at that point: dark blue for Oxford and light blue for Cambridge. The commentator could just make out the flagpole with binoculars, so he'd confidently announce who was ahead, never letting on to his audience how he knew.

This went on for many years, and finally, one year he decided to visit the man and see this famous flagpole close up. But when he got to it, it noticed something: it was impossible to see the Thames from that location. He pointed this out, and asked the man how he could tell which boat was ahead. "Oh, that's easy", he said, "I have a portable radio beside me, and I listen to the commentary on the BBC".

[Matt-jckj]

My favorite is the Astley Paradox:

If you ask Rick Astley for his copy of the movie Up, he cannot give it to you as he will never give you Up.

However, in doing so he lets you down. Thus creating the Astley Paradox.

[battlesheep]

My favorite paradox is how my company has record profits yet doesnt have the budget to give me a raise

[Joni_Tarvainen]

I just love Diogenes. That dude was an OG "No you're wrong and I'll explain why"- kinda dude.
Zeno claiming that motion doesn't exist and Diogenes disproving it just by walking in circles or when Plato claimed that Human is just a featherless bi-pedal, so Diogenes plucked feathers off from a chicken and just blasted it on the floor claiming how this is Plato's man in front of his students lmao

[markedis]

So much of this relies on actually having a Time Machine. The last time I popped down to ‘Dimensional Instabilities r Us’, they were clean out of time machines. The sales assistant suggested that as the future hadn’t happened yet, there were none to be had at any price. He did suggest that when the right bit of future had happened, time machines would then be available now and indeed at any time in the past present or future.

[ignitionfrn]

0:45 - Chapter 1 - Liar paradox
2:25 - Mid roll ads
3:45 - Back to the video
4:40 - Chapter 2 - Bootstrap paradox
7:45 - Chapter 3 - Grandfather paradox
11:00 - Chapter 4 - Zeno's paradoxes
13:40 - Chapter 5 - Unexpected hanging paradox

[klondike]

Stephen King's "November 22, 1963" is quite possibly one of the best books ever written about reverse causation. It's something I've thought about a lot and always agreed with, and Simon mentions it too in this video.

[PetrSojnek]

Prisoner's paradox as told by Simon is actually funny double paradox. Even if the executioner came on Friday, the judge would still be right. After Thursday night, you would be sure you've won, so Friday knock would be a terrible surprise for you :D

[fathertimegaming]

If you think about it, the prisoner will always be executed on the last day, his last day.

[TexasTimeLord]

On my waterfront property, 2 boat landing piers washed ashore. We never found the owners. I now have an unsolved pair a docks

[dereks]

Thank you for pointing out the watch paradox in "Somewhere In Time". I remember having a rather ...ahh ... heated discussion with my then wife about the impossibility of the watch. She thought I was being too picky and should just "enjoyed the film". This may have been part of the reason we are no longer together.

[niftybass]

production feedback: Audio dynamic compression is a great move, but the compression seems to have too fast a release time (inhaled breath comes in loud), and the de-esser needs to aim for a higher frequency.

[devikwolf]

My favorite paradox is how "working from home has been a great success" and yet "it's time to return to the daily commute"

[TheDoomKnight]

I present to you the modern paradox.

You need experience to get the job.
You need the job to get experience.

Tada!

[mysticmermaid]

I love the stories about how sassy Diogenes was, even if some likely never actually happened.

[jokerman]

I just noticed this guy takes loud short sharp breaths inbetween every sentence and now i cant get passed it. My gift to you

[LOTRable]

Dresden Files had a funny retort to the Grandfather paradox

Harry: So if I go back in time to kill my grandfather

Vadderung: he beats you senseless I suspect

[TheArtofFugue]

As a mathematical physicist of 8 years, I find none of these that mind blowing. Paradoxes arise from a simple lack in understanding of something somewhere along the line.

[RarelyReplies]

Those inhalations are strong and sharp. Is he fighting off and talking through an asthma attack?

[bhgtree]

Thanks Simon, Is there any thing no matter how difficult, that this man cannot explain and make perfectly understandable.