There is an island upon which a tribe of blind people resides. They all answer devoutly to their chief. The tribe consists of 1000 people total, with 2 different eye colors. One day a miracle happened and every member (all 1000) was able to see for the first time. Without saying one word to each other they assembled in a congregation and their chief made the following rule: "Our religion forbids you to know your own eye color, or even to discuss the topic". Therefore, each resident can (and does) see the eye colors of all other residents, but has no way of discovering his or her own (there are no reflective surfaces in any way shape or form for this puzzle). If a member does discover his or her own eye color, then their religion compels them to commit ritual suicide at noon the following day in the village square for all to witness. All the tribespeople are highly logical and devout.
Of the 1000 islanders, it turns out that 100 of them have blue eyes and 900 of them have brown eyes. None of them know this at first of course, because any one member can only see the other 999 eye colors. What happens to the tribe, if anything, and why?
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itachi-san
There is an island upon which a tribe of blind people resides. They all answer devoutly to their chief. The tribe consists of 1000 people total, with 2 different eye colors. One day a miracle happened and every member (all 1000) was able to see for the first time. Without saying one word to each other they assembled in a congregation and their chief made the following rule: "Our religion forbids you to know your own eye color, or even to discuss the topic". Therefore, each resident can (and does) see the eye colors of all other residents, but has no way of discovering his or her own (there are no reflective surfaces in any way shape or form for this puzzle). If a member does discover his or her own eye color, then their religion compels them to commit ritual suicide at noon the following day in the village square for all to witness. All the tribespeople are highly logical and devout.
Of the 1000 islanders, it turns out that 100 of them have blue eyes and 900 of them have brown eyes. None of them know this at first of course, because any one member can only see the other 999 eye colors. What happens to the tribe, if anything, and why?
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