Episode 39 - Paradox
I explore logical paradoxes, especially those ultimately caused by circular logic, or circular definitions. Also includes the Twitter fight about the 2018 midterm elections between Nate Silver, Dinesh D'Souza, and Nassim Taleb.
Links For the Election Forecasting Twitter Fight
Nate Silver’s Original Interview
Dinesh D’Souza’s original comment
Nate Silver’s Update on 538 (with shot at D’Souza)
Nassim Taleb’s Weigh-in
Paradox Descriptions
Liar’s Paradox
This statement is false.
Truth-teller’s two-faced statement.
This statement is true.
Russell’s Paradox
Z is the set of all sets that don’t contain themsevles. Does Z contain itself?
Barber’s Paradox
The barber in town shaves everyone who does not shave themsevles. Does the barber shave himself?
Curry’s Paradox
If this statement is true, Brooklyn is the capitol of America.
Berry’s Paradox
X is the first number that cannot be described in less than 13 words.
Mathematicians Mentioned
Bertrand Russell, Kurt Gödel, Haskell Curry, Georg Cantor, Gottlob Frege
Idiocracy Video
Book Links
Naive Set Theory (Halmos)
Set theory and the continuum problem
Practical Logic and Automated Reasoning
Introduction to Logic (Tarski)
Topology via Logic
Idiocracy (Mike Judge)
Mentioned Episodes
Episode 0 on Bayes Rule
Episode 1 on Applying Bayesian thinking to Hawaii Crisis
Episode 21 on the Interpretation of Probability
Episode 22 for a followup on Subjective Probability
