278 replies to this topic

[einsteins]

i believe the correct answer that would insinuate common logic is..."will you take my child?" therefore "guessing" correctly and answering the riddle correctly, however you may look at it the woman is correct in all aspects from the given text

[Lilwisegirl]

The mother should say "You will hold him captive for a certain amount of time while I speak this sentence." If he does, he has to give the kid back. If he doesn't, the kid can run away.

[Lilwisegirl]

And to be practical, a lot of things other possibilities suggested would anger the crocodile, and he would eat the child out of spite. Also, I'd like to point out that nowhere in the question did they limit us to two answers (eat him or don't).

[joshuagenes]

The croc will trade him for a cow that has twice as much meat. This is just a jumping off point for negotiations.

[sandip7129]

the mother should have said, "you would eat him." then the crocodile could not eat the boy, as that would make the mother's statement true.

 

[Katiebug815]

If the crocodile is THAT hungry, he'll just eat the kid even if the answer is right.However, if he is telling the truth, she should either say "You will give me back my child", or " you will eat my child" of course if you say the latter, he'll probably say "damn right i am" and eat him. It all depends on if the crocodile is honest. If not, Sorry lady!

[Katiebug815]

If the crocodile is THAT hungry, he'll just eat the kid even if the answer is right.However, if he is telling the truth, she should either say "You will give me back my child", or " you will eat my child"

 But now, here is the paradox. Yes, if the croc is being honest or not is important, but how about this: she could say "you will defenitely not give me back my child." If he keeps the child, he will be lying. If he gives back the child, he will be lying. The only logical thing for him to do with the child would be something completely different, like dump him in the river. She can then fish him out because the crocodile can no longer touch the boy, unless there are some very smart hippos in there too.

MORAL OF STORY: don't let children play by rivers known to be homes of crocodiles.

Edited by Katiebug815, 29 March 2013 - 07:53 PM.

[Katiebug815]

The mother should say "You will hold him captive for a certain amount of time while I speak this sentence." If he does, he has to give the kid back. If he doesn't, the kid can run away.

 

 But what if the kid can't swim?

[santrolization]

Crocodile Sophism - Back to the Paradoxes

A slim crocodile living in Nile took a child. Mother begged to give him back. The crocodile could not only talk, he was also a great sophist, and so he stated: "If you guess (Edited: predict the fate = guess correctly), what I will do with him, I will return him. However, if you don't guess his fate I'll eat him." What statement shall the mother make to save her child (what about a 

 

Crocodile Sophism - Back to the Paradoxes

A slim crocodile living in Nile took a child. Mother begged to give him back. The crocodile could not only talk, he was also a great sophist, and so he stated: "If you guess (Edited: predict the fate = guess correctly), what I will do with him, I will return him. However, if you don't guess his fate I'll eat him." What statement shall the mother make to save her child (what about a vicious circle ...)?

No matter what the mother says it depends on what the crocodile decides to do. There is an infinite possibilty of options that can happen if she gets it right but there is only one if she gets it wrong. The crocodile said he'll eat the child if she gets it wrong. So she says the crocodile will eat he child then the crocodile will not be able to eat the child or she'll be correct. Given that the child will then be  useless to the child he may give it back.