Analyzing The Crocodile Paradox
By James Donahue
The Crocodile Paradox presents an unsolvable dilemma. In this case, the crocodile seizes a child that wanders too close to the swamp. The father pleads with the crocodile to return his child unharmed.
The wily crocodile promises the father that the child will be returned if, and only if he can correctly predict whether or not the crocodile really intends to return the child. Thus the father finds himself in an impossible situation. If he guesses that the child will be returned, and the crocodile has no intention of returning the child, then the child is lost. But if he guesses that the child will not be returned, and his guess is correct, then the father violates the terms of the agreement and the child cannot be returned.
No matter how the father guesses, his predictions are automatically falsified and the child will not be returned. Thus the actions of the crocodile are paradoxical because there is no justifiable solution.
This is another in the string of paradox situations explored by the ancient Greek philosophers to demonstrate something contemporary scholars call "meta-knowledge." That is knowledge about a pre-selected knowledge. The answer is not necessarily included in meta-knowledge.
In this paradox there can be no correct answer that will save the child. No matter which answer the father offers, the results are contradictory.
By James Donahue
The Crocodile Paradox presents an unsolvable dilemma. In this case, the crocodile seizes a child that wanders too close to the swamp. The father pleads with the crocodile to return his child unharmed.
The wily crocodile promises the father that the child will be returned if, and only if he can correctly predict whether or not the crocodile really intends to return the child. Thus the father finds himself in an impossible situation. If he guesses that the child will be returned, and the crocodile has no intention of returning the child, then the child is lost. But if he guesses that the child will not be returned, and his guess is correct, then the father violates the terms of the agreement and the child cannot be returned.
No matter how the father guesses, his predictions are automatically falsified and the child will not be returned. Thus the actions of the crocodile are paradoxical because there is no justifiable solution.
This is another in the string of paradox situations explored by the ancient Greek philosophers to demonstrate something contemporary scholars call "meta-knowledge." That is knowledge about a pre-selected knowledge. The answer is not necessarily included in meta-knowledge.
In this paradox there can be no correct answer that will save the child. No matter which answer the father offers, the results are contradictory.