Three logicians
Posted: April 16th, 2017, 10:09 pm
Three logicians are unable to decide who among them is the most logical so they decide to seek the advice of a wise man.
The wise man explains that he has some black hats and some white hats. He will switch off the light and place one hat upon each logician, then switch the light back on again. The first logician to correctly state the colour of his own hat, and to explain how he knows, will be declared the best logician of the three.
The wise man switches off the light and the room goes dark so that no-one can see. He then places one hat upon each of the three logicians. (He is wise and knows how to work in the dark.) He explains that there are five hats: Three black ones and two white ones, and that he has hidden the two unused ones. He then switches on the light.
One logician demonstrates his superior logic skills by stating the colour of his hat. What colour is it, and how does he know?
No-one can see his or her own hat. There are no mirrors or other reflective objects. No-one asks anyone-else and no-one finds the two hidden hats. It is purely logical deduction.
Julian F. G. W.
The wise man explains that he has some black hats and some white hats. He will switch off the light and place one hat upon each logician, then switch the light back on again. The first logician to correctly state the colour of his own hat, and to explain how he knows, will be declared the best logician of the three.
The wise man switches off the light and the room goes dark so that no-one can see. He then places one hat upon each of the three logicians. (He is wise and knows how to work in the dark.) He explains that there are five hats: Three black ones and two white ones, and that he has hidden the two unused ones. He then switches on the light.
One logician demonstrates his superior logic skills by stating the colour of his hat. What colour is it, and how does he know?
No-one can see his or her own hat. There are no mirrors or other reflective objects. No-one asks anyone-else and no-one finds the two hidden hats. It is purely logical deduction.
Julian F. G. W.