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The (in)famous Barber (Posted on 2002-05-14) Difficulty: 3 of 5
In a certain small town, there is a barber named Bill. Since Bill is the only barber in the town, he decides that he will shave all the town's residents who do not shave themselves, but (obviously) not the ones who do.

If Bill follows this rule, will he shave himself or not?

  Submitted by levik    
Rating: 3.4500 (20 votes)
Solution: (Hide)
The answer to this one is that Bill the barber cannot follow his own rule the way it is stated. If he shaves himself he is breaking it by shaving someone who shaves himself. If he doesn't - he breaks the rule by not shaving someone who doesn't shave himself.

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)
  Subject Author Date
SolutionK Sengupta2022-07-17 23:35:16
SolutionAnswerMath Man2015-05-16 19:12:43
IT DEPENDSLincoln2006-05-15 11:28:30
solutionSarah2006-04-06 03:38:32
No Subjectaaron2006-02-14 22:51:31
Is he a resident?arron2005-11-12 03:15:26
No Subjectjames2005-03-18 04:16:33
FlawAdam2004-07-30 15:00:18
Ahem! Flaw!hiwhi2003-12-26 00:20:37
Some ThoughtsJust a thoughtJeff2003-12-23 21:15:16
SolutionThis is a variant of a famous Bertrand Russell paradoxPenny2003-12-16 11:03:04
Some Thoughtsjust a thoughtben2003-12-10 20:24:32
not a contradiction?Jack Squat2003-12-09 14:34:51
re: yuo, no solution, sry i meant yupiggyb3872003-10-15 21:06:02
yuo, no solutioniggyb3872003-10-15 21:04:59
SolutionNo SubjectRoyCook2003-10-06 13:39:13
SolutionNOT a paradox! IMPORTANT distinction!sam2003-09-06 16:02:21
Here is the RIGHT answertyler2003-07-30 21:33:32
Here is the RIGHT answertyler2003-07-30 21:33:11
other solutionsRich Rocket2003-07-25 10:52:14
Think outside the box... (solution)Bill2003-07-11 08:57:28
solutionqw2003-07-04 08:16:00
SolutionChaz2003-05-03 09:03:43
Bill,the barber paradoxTim Axoy2003-03-22 13:20:24
re(2): Someone else?Gamer2003-03-07 09:57:09
re: Someone else?Adam2003-03-03 08:45:29
answerHershel2003-01-14 12:42:03
answerAlan2003-01-07 10:22:50
Someone else?Kyle2003-01-05 15:32:36
re: It's the chicken and the eggKyle2003-01-05 15:31:06
It's the chicken and the eggMatthew Bobbins2002-12-15 10:31:54
my solution...JOTU2002-10-17 17:40:00
re: didacticslevik2002-08-19 09:12:33
didacticsGraham Hill2002-05-28 08:28:49
equivtheBal2002-05-14 15:07:55
Hints/TipsParadoxTomM2002-05-14 12:39:05
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