Truth Puzzles

Thomas' examination of truth reminded me of the logic puzzles in the original startrek used to fool the evil robots.

Thomas' arguement, when put in the vernacular, sounds something like "truth must be because the phrase "truth is untrue" would be true in a world without truth, and is thus self-contradictory.

This is an awful lot like the Nomad episode of OS startrek. In this episode, there is an evil robot whose duty it is to destroy all 'imperfect' things. however, it's programming is flawed, and thus it itself is imperfect. When this is pointed out to it, Nomad (or Veeger, if you prefer the movies) proceeds to kill himself as best he can.

Such logic puzzles have been used in many areas, and I think they all point to the same general concept. there must be truth. Another startrek episode, infact, has the trick of "computer, this is Mr. Mud. everything he says is a lie. Mr. Mud is lying." and then the computer goes off to a corner and cries.

So, all of these truth puzzles I think are different ways of stating the same truth (small pun intended) which is simply that there is such a thing as truth, and additionally that we must be human to understand it (note the failing robots).

but maybe i'm lying.

The Thinking Skull