The
Wason Card Problem is a well known test in the study of deductive reasoning.
You are given 4 cards, two face up and two face down; say, 3,8, Red, Brown, and asked which card(s) must be turned over in order to test the truth of the proposition that if a card shows an even number on one face, then its opposite face is Red?
Apparently only a small percentage of those tested give the 'correct' solution - although the 'great majority of subjects agree with the logic of the solution, once it is explained to them'.
The 'correct' solution is given in the article, but it is worth attempting to solve it first, if you are not already familiar with it.
Question: Why is the 'correct' solution in fact questionable?
(In reply to
re: solution by Jer)
You say:
The 'correct' solution given on Wikipedia is
indeed correct.
I fully agree.
You say:
It makes for a nice puzzle and it fooled me
I beg to differ.
It would make a nice puzzle, either without
mentioning the original Wason’s experiment or if the Question “ Why is the 'correct' solution in fact questionable?“ were rephrased.
The way it is presented
is leading and misguiding, resembling someone demanding an yes/no answer to “
Did you stop beating your wife?” .
You cannot explain “Why is water heavier than
iron?” - since it is not.
I have asked broll (both on the review board and
on Ch-box ) to provide his Email, just to improve the text (one of my suggesions: Erase the word Why in your question) – and regretfully
got no answer.