My solution to the he Skinny Problem

[Ghost Post]

If i took the deal Skinny would make the statement "The amount you will give me will be less than $15, and not exactly $10".

Now there are three possible options:
A -I give him less than 15, but not 10.
B - I give exactly 10
C -I give 15 or more

I can not select option A, because then his statment would be true and I would owe him exactly 10 (and option A specifies not 10).

I can not attempt option B because in this case his statement is false, and the problem dictates that I owe him more or less than 10 dollars, but not exactly $10 for a false statement.

I can, however, give him $15 or more because in this case his statement is false (because not less than 15) and I am giving him some amount other than exactly $10.

[mwf]

This same thing as been gone over in many other treads.

The questions is when Skinny makes the stament "The amount you will give me will be less than $15, and not exactly $10" is that true or false? It is neather at the time of the stament is said. So do you have a judge make a ruling or does Skinny wait until you have taken a action?

So I think the only way around this would be for Skinny to make the statement "Assuming that you will keep your promises to give me exactly $10 if my statment is true. You will not giving me exactly $10, but some other amount less then $15."


[This message has been edited by mwf (edited 04-12-2001).]

[Ghost Post]

The problem assumes that you are obligated to keep your word- it is not much of a problem if you are allowed to break your promise. You control the validity of his statement by the amount you give him, but your word dictates that you must give him $15 or more. If you give him less than $15 you will have broken your promise- and that is not permitted.

[Ghost Post]

I don't think the problem concerns itself with that sort of semantics. When you give him the money the statement will either be true or false and you would have kept your promise or broken it.

[This message has been edited by xenophobe (edited 04-13-2001).]

[Nick Burger]

I thought this statement was fairly elegant:

"You will give me an odd number of dollars that is less than 100."

Of course, this is just another way of rephrasing the other answers.

Nick

[Ghost Post]

This statement will not work:

"You will give me an odd number of dollars that is less than 100."

If he said that, than you could simply give him $2. Because this is an even amount, his statement is false and you are premitted to give him any amount other than exactly $10, so you would have upheld your agreement.

[Antrax]

Fix.
Antrax

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"If it comes down to a choice between being unloved and being vulnerable and sensitive and emotional, then you can just keep your love." -Victor Mancini, "Choke"