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Oh my, Protagoras (Posted on 2002-10-19) Difficulty: 3 of 5
A Lawyer named Protagoras teaches law for a hefty fee. He advertises his skills as a teacher by offering his students a contract, which states that they do not have to pay him until they have won their first case. If the student loses their first case, then they don't have to pay Protagoras at all.

One student of Protagoras sees a loophole, takes the course and fininshes it. After that, the student avoids arguing any cases. Since the student has not yet won his first case, he avoids paying Protagoras.

Protagoras feels cheated, and sues the student for his fee. When the case comes to trial, the student represents himself. If the student loses the case, then by the terms of their original agreement, there is no fee for the course. If the student wins the case however, then, since its the student's first case, there will be a fee. (But, of course, winning the case means that the student doesn't have to pay the fee, while losing it means that the fee must be paid.)

Will the student be obliged to pay Protagoras' fee or not?

See The Solution Submitted by JOTU    
Rating: 3.1667 (18 votes)

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)
  Subject Author Date
Some ThoughtsPuzzle ThoughtsK Sengupta2024-02-09 21:21:08
re(3): it wasn't Protagorasbroll2022-02-19 09:53:16
Hints/TipsNo Subjectkuja2007-08-08 05:12:20
Catch-22Elizabeth Thomas2006-03-22 15:02:03
No Subjectaaron2006-02-14 22:46:05
SolutionMust bePaddy2005-12-21 07:46:54
No SubjectAndreevna2005-09-02 11:13:36
SolutionNo paradox at alle.g.2005-05-08 14:04:10
re: Goat's SolutionGoat2004-08-23 19:29:00
Goat's SolutionGoat2004-08-23 19:22:32
Hire a lawyer...Chris2004-07-21 21:30:36
To sue or not to sueloki2004-06-09 09:49:47
re: Solutionluke2004-04-29 23:19:38
re: SolutionCaptain Paradox2004-01-04 21:11:25
1st caseBrian2003-12-22 15:24:12
re(2): if I were his studentmichelle2003-11-11 18:41:20
protagorassizz2003-11-06 07:02:58
re: Here is my ingenious solutionDan Erickson2003-08-22 12:00:40
Here is my ingenious solutionDan Erickson2003-08-22 11:37:39
re: just curious...David2003-05-20 21:40:50
re: if I were his studentDavid2003-05-20 21:35:47
just curious...David2003-05-20 21:32:15
SolutionChaz2003-05-03 08:45:04
politicsJon2003-04-30 07:35:24
Some Thoughtsif I were his studentpleasance2002-12-06 08:31:40
re(2): it wasn't Protagorasirene2002-11-04 11:23:53
re: it wasn't Protagoraslevik2002-11-03 17:48:05
it wasn't Protagorasirene2002-11-02 13:40:11
re(2): legaly there is a solution, otherwise there isntlevik2002-10-28 16:47:37
re: legaly there is a solution, otherwise there isntfriedlinguini2002-10-28 13:53:33
Solutionlegaly there is a solution, otherwise there isntJames2002-10-25 18:24:58
SolutionPossiblyDulanjana2002-10-20 14:50:21
re(4): SolutionTomM2002-10-20 08:57:42
re(3): Solutionlevik2002-10-20 04:56:57
re(2): SolutionTomM2002-10-20 02:29:21
Hints/Tipsre: Solutionlevik2002-10-19 19:43:24
SolutionSolutionfriedlinguini2002-10-19 06:41:09
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