125 replies to this topic

[Some_Random]

This is where the English language is limited. Saying nothing is better than eternal bliss means there is no thing that is better. Saying bread is better than nothing means bread is better than having nothing to eat. Now, if everyone had the ability to think in, say, latin then this wouldn't even be a paradox. Darn our language is silly.

[Bad Wolf]

Bread = eternal bliss.

I'm not sure if it's quite a paradox but, it's a great twist on words.

[TorqueRat]

Ok,

11 is 0 more than 11
1 is more than 0
thus 1 is more than 11

Replace bliss with 11, nothing with 0 and bread with 1...

I prefer PBJ.

[burntoutd]

It can really be solved with a simple equation cant it? I think it might go something like this:
A common misconception people might have is that Eternal Bliss=Nothing, but Bread> Nothing, therefore Bread> Eternal Bliss;
but thats wrong because "What is better than Eternal Bliss? Nothing." and that would lead people to believe that Nothing is better... than Eternal Bliss, but again thats wrong because "What is better than Eternal Bliss? Nothing." So nothing is the equivalent of Eternal Bliss, so Eternal Bliss has no equal or better, so it will always be better than Nothing; Eternal Bliss>Nothing, and since Bread > Nothing then; Eternal Bliss must = Bread, but nothing is equal to Eternal Bliss, therefore:
Eternal Bliss>Bread and in conclusion: Eternal Bliss> Bread> Nothing.

Well at least thats the way I like to look at it.

[TorqueRat]

The fact that I chose 0, 1, 11 is irrelevant, ultimately it states the same, bread is greater than nothing and less than bliss...

[Babers-san]

Reversing the order might help with this one.

What is better than eternal bliss? Nothing.
Is the same as Anything is not-better than Eternal Bliss.

Bread is better than Nothing, because it is Something. Something falls within the subset of Anything - and Anything is not-better than Eternal Bliss.

Why?

Because (you know what's coming, don't you?) :

What is better than eternal bliss? Nothing.

[Slick_Rick9009]

Ok,

11 is 0 more than 11
1 is more than 0
thus 1 is more than 11

Replace bliss with 11, nothing with 0 and bread with 1...

I prefer PBJ.

The fact that I chose 0, 1, 11 is irrelevant, ultimately it states the same, bread is greater than nothing and less than bliss...

This is slightly flawed, if you are going to give bread and bliss a value, then what value do you give them? You chose 1 and 11. I saw that you said that 1 and 11 are irrelivant, but they are relevant to an extant. You chose those numbers to prove your thinking, but I could use those same numbers the other way and have bread as 11 and bliss as 1. Nothing says what they should be, so cannot give them a value.

Also, I'm sure most of you noticed that the play on words IS the riddle. You guys are saying that nothing is being used seperately, which is true. But it will still have the same definition. Eternal bliss is a state of being. Bread is a physical object. So you guys are saying that from the given information, you can see what was meant. So tell me, what do I mean when I say, "I've got nothing."? Do I mean I don't know the answer to a question or problem, or am I saying I have no material? You have to assume that all times "nothing" is mentioned, it has the same value as all other times it's mentioned because nothing tells you what precicely is meant.

[4rr44rr]

The only way to sole it is...

What is better than eternal bliss? Nothing of VALUE.

Bread has a value, as it is a real object, then it is not counted as being better than eternal bliss.

The original paradox equation could be this:

swap it to
Eternal Bliss>Everything (nothing is better than eternal blisss so eternal bliss is better than everything
Bread=SomethingThus, Bread Is Not more than bliss.

[redfusion17]

'Nothing is better than eternal bliss' is an incorrect statement. It has to be stated 'There is nothing better than eternal bliss.' If correctly stated there is no problem.

[riccit]

This is a version of the old epicurean philosophical problem of equating a moral value with pleasure. For example: If I derive more pleasure (bliss) from picking my nose than from reading a great book then picking my nose is a more moral and valuable activity than reading a great book. Of course that is nonsense. The question is framed incorrectly. The question should be: What brings eternal bliss? Doing the right thing or enjoying simple bread?