Paradoxes from A to Z

297 Pages·2012·1.654 MB·English

by  Michael Clark

Paradoxes from A to Z
Paradoxes from A to Z, third editionis the essential guide to paradoxes,
and takes the reader on a lively tour of puzzles that have taxed thinkers
from Zeno to Galileo, and Lewis Carroll to Bertrand Russell. Michael Clark
uncovers an array of conundrums, such as Achilles and the Tortoise,
Theseus' Ship, and the Prisoner’s Dilemma, taking in subjects as diverse
as knowledge, science, art and politics. Clark discusses each paradox in
non-technical terms, considering its significance and looking at likely
solutions.
This third edition is revised throughout, and adds nine new paradoxes that
have important bearings in areas such as law, logic, ethics and probability.
Paradoxes from A to Z, third editionis an ideal starting point for those
interested not just in philosophical puzzles and conundrums, but anyone
seeking to hone their thinking skills.
Michael Clark is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of
Nottingham, UK. He is editor of the leading journal Analysis, and has
published widely in a variety of areas, including philosophical logic and
the philosophy of law.
Praise for the first edition:
‘Self-contained courses in paradox are not usually taught as part of a
philosophy degree. There is good reason for thinking they should be, and
this book would make the ideal text for just such a course.’
Times Higher Education Supplement
‘Clark’s survey is an entertaining junkshop of mind-troubling problems.’
The Guardian
‘Paradoxes from A to Zis a clear, well-written and philosophically reliable
introduction to a range of paradoxes. It is the perfect reference book for
anyone interested in this area of philosophy.’
Nigel Warburton, author of Philosophy: The Basics
‘An excellent book.. .Clark’s masterful discussion makes this one of the
best general introductions to paradoxes.’
James Cargile, University of Virginia
‘Very well done...a useful complement to the existing literature.’
Alan Weir, Queen’s University Belfast
Paradoxes from
A to Z
Third edition
MICHAEL CLARK
First published 2002
by Routledge
Second edition published 2007
Reprinted 2010 (twice)
Third edition published 2012
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group,
an informa business
©2012 Michael Clark
The right of Michael Clark to be identified as author of this work
has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78
of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced
or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other
means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying
and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Clark, Michael, 1940–
Paradoxes from A to Z / by Michael Clark. – 3rd ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Paradox. 2. Paradoxes. I. Title.
BC199.P2C57 2012
165–dc23 2012010326
ISBN13: 978-0-415-53857-2 (pbk)
ISBN13: 978-0-203-09641-3 (ebk)
Typeset in Rotis
by Keystroke, Codsall, Wolverhampton
Contents
Foreword to the Third Edition ix
Preface xi
Acknowledgements xiii
Achilles and the Tortoise 1
Allais’ Paradox 5
The Paradox of Analysis 9
The Arrow 11
The Barber Shop Paradox 13
Berry’s Paradox 18
Bertrand’s Box Paradox 20
Bertrand’s (Chord) Paradox 22
The Paradox of Blackmail 25
The Bridge 28
Buridan’s Ass 30
The Cable Guy Paradox 32
Cantor’s Paradox 34
The Paradox of the Charitable Trust 42
The Chicken and the Egg 44
Curry’s Paradox 46
The Paradox of Democracy 48
The Designated Student 51
The Paradox of Deterrence 52
The Dr Psycho Paradox 55
The Eclipse Paradox 58
The Paradox of Entailment 61
The Paradox of Fiction 65
The Paradox of Foreknowledge 68
The Paradox of Future Generations 71
v
Contents
Galileo’s Paradox 74
The Gentle Murder Paradox 79
The Paradox of the Gods 81
Grue (Goodman’s ‘New Riddle of Induction’) 83
The Heap 86
Heraclitus’ Paradox 94
Heterological 97
Hilbert’s Hotel 100
The Indy Paradox 101
The Paradox of Inference 103
The Paradox of Interesting Numbers 106
The Paradox of Jurisdiction 108
The Paradox of Knowability 111
The Knower 113
The Lawyer 115
The Liar 118
The Lottery 126
Lycan’s Paradox 130
The Paradox of the Many 131
The Monty Hall Paradox 133
Moore’s Paradox 136
Moral Luck 141
The Paradox of the Muddy Children 144
Murder 148
Newcomb’s Problem 150
The Numbered Balls 155
The Paradox of Omniscience 157
Paradox 159
The Parrondo Paradox 163
The Pasedena Paradox 166
Pascal’s Wager 170
The Placebo Paradox 172
The Paradox of Plurality 174
The Poison Hypothetical 178
vi
Contents
The Prediction Paradox 180
The Preface 182
The Paradox of Preference 185
Prisoner’s Dilemma 188
The Prosecutor’s Fallacy 192
The Paradox of the Question 194
Quinn’s Paradox 197
The Racecourse 199
The Rakehell 201
The Paradox of the Ravens 203
The Red Taxi Paradox 206
Richard’s Paradox 209
Russell’s Paradox 211
The St Petersburg Paradox 217
The Self-Amendment Paradox 221
Self-deception 224
Self-fulfilling Belief 228
The Ship of Theseus 230
Simpson’s Paradox 233
The Sleeping Beauty 236
The Paradox of Soundness 239
The Spaceship 240
The Toxin Paradox 241
The Paradox of Tragedy 243
The Tristram Shandy 245
The Trojan Fly 246
The Trolley Problem 248
The Two-envelope Paradox 252
The Unexpected Examination 256
The Paradox of Validity 259
The Paradox of Voting 261
Wang’s Paradox 263
The Xenophobic Paradox 264
Yablo’s Paradox 267
vii
Contents
Zeno’s Paradoxes 270
Index 271
viii
Foreword to the Third Edition
Nine new entries have been added to those in the Second Edition.
Four of them relate to the law: Murder, the Poison Hypothetical,
the Prosecutor’s Fallacy, and the Red Taxi Paradox. The others are
the much discussed Paradox of Future Generations, Pascal’s
Wager, a new paradox involving infinite series, the Pasadena
Paradox, the Newcomb-like Dr Psycho Paradox and the Trolley
Problem. There are now 94 entries altogether.
Some minor corrections have been made and the reading lists
updated and expanded. I should like to thank Peter Cave, Isabel
Gois, Bob Kirk, and especially Nicholas Shackel for their comments.
ix