Toughest Riddle Ever?

M.D. Holloway · 07-25-2009, 07:23 PM

There is a village where the barber shaves all those and only those who do not shave themselves. Who shaves the barber?

ckissick · 07-25-2009, 07:25 PM

Is the barber a man?

vash · vash's Garage

barber is a hairless man, or a chick.

Gogar · 07-25-2009, 07:35 PM

The barber is a Rastafarian. Or a Muslim.

nocarrier · 07-25-2009, 08:17 PM

It's a paradox.

There is no answer.

Arizona_928 · 07-25-2009, 08:25 PM

He shaves himself.

nocarrier · 07-25-2009, 08:28 PM

The barber can't shave himself because he only shaves those who do not shave themselves.

If he shaves himself he is no longer one of the ones who does not shave himself therefore he can't. As he shaves those who do not shave themselves.

M.D. Holloway · 07-25-2009, 08:30 PM

OK - the barber shaves those who do not shave themselves - lets call them 'A'. 'A' are those folks who never shave themselves, never pick up a razor, nothing.

Now, the barber is the one that does the shaving - thats what barbers do. Can others shave? Sure, but only themselves - no one else but themselves. Lets call them 'B'.

So, unless the barber is a hairy son-of-a-gun - he is not an 'A' because he only shaves the 'A's and he can't be a 'B' because he shaves others so then the only logical conclusion is...

Snowtires

slodave · slodave's Garage

Electrolysis?

tangerine911S · 07-25-2009, 08:35 PM

One of the men that doesnt shave themselves shaves the barber.

Or a woman shaves the barber

Or there are two barbers and they shave eachother.

Or he travels to the next village for a shave.

Or he doesnt shave at all.

Or the barber is a woman.

Or...

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

The barber does. He only shaves others who are unwilling to shave on their own.

nocarrier · 07-25-2009, 08:36 PM

The question is "who shaves the barber."

So we have to assume that the barber does not have a beard, correct?

The question wouldn't be posed if the barber had a beard as there would be no question. The answer would be a simple no.

Paradox

nocarrier · 07-25-2009, 08:39 PM

The riddle states "ALL THOSE and ONLY THOSE who do not shave themselves"

The barber would be included under "ALL THOSE."

There is no answer.

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by nocarrier

The riddle states "ALL THOSE and ONLY THOSE who do not shave themselves"

The barber would be included under "ALL THOSE."

There is no answer.

I see it as indicative of another type - the DIY shaver. of which the Barber could be?

nocarrier · 07-25-2009, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RANDY P

I see it as indicative of another type - the DIY shaver. of which the Barber could be?

Can't work because then the barber wouldn't be one of "those who do not shave themselves."

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

We need a Liberal here to figure this out.

Paradox.

rjp

nocarrier · 07-25-2009, 08:46 PM

I couldn't have said it better.

A liberal to figure out a paradox!

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

Raise taxes on the barber!

Geronimo '74 · 07-26-2009, 12:45 AM

The Barber paradox is a puzzle derived from Russell's paradox. It was used by Bertrand Russell himself as an illustration of the paradox, though he attributes it to an unnamed person who suggested it to him. It shows that an apparently plausible scenario is logically impossible.

Thanks to Wikipedia.

livi · 07-26-2009, 02:22 AM

Depends. Is he shaving only men, or women too?