can u solve this riddle?

[slumbering_dragon]

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

[WeiQuinn]

The Barber shaves himself.

[kamimitsu]

The barber is a woman and doesn't need to shave?

[mhorn]

An impossible scenario...
"Suppose there is a town with just one male barber; and that every man in the town keeps himself clean-shaven: some by shaving themselves, some by attending the barber. It seems reasonable to imagine that the barber obeys the following rule: He shaves all and only those men who do not shave themselves.

Under this scenario, we can ask the following question: Does the barber shave himself?

Asking this, however, we discover that the situation presented is in fact impossible:

If the barber does not shave himself, he must abide by the rule and shave himself.
If he does shave himself, according to the rule he will not shave himself. "

[slumbering_dragon]

The barber is a woman and doesn't need to shave?

but a "barber" is a man, a female is a beutition.

[Ulurjah]

According to dictionary.com :

a person whose occupation it is to cut and dress the hair of customers, esp. men, and to shave or trim the beard. ... So actually a female barber is not out of the question and in fact does solve the riddle.

[SteeleTrueheart]

Edit: Too inane

[Lithic]

but a "barber" is a man, a female is a beutition.

Untrue. A female barber is called a barberella.













heh.

[slumbering_dragon]

Untrue. A female barber is called a barberella.

lol, well if this is the case then he got it right, it took aton of people on yahoo over a month and they stil lsquablle over the answer.

[SteeleTrueheart]

Then I guess she only waxes or has reeeeaalllly hairy legs?

And just because the spelling was sooo bad the correct spelling is:

Beautician

[AceOfClubs]

Its a Paradox

[Roman]

Unanswerable. this is a paradox.

The barber can't shave himself because he only "Shaves those who do not shave themselves"

But if the barber does not shave himself, then he is one of those "who do not shave themselves". But the barber is said to shave "those who do not shave themselves". Both statements can't be true. He can't be one who does not shave himself and simultaneously be one who shaves those who do not shave themselves. A paradox.

[AceOfClubs]

Unanswerable. this is a paradox.

The barber can't shave himself because he only "Shaves those who do not shave themselves"

But if the barber does not shave himself, then he is one of those "who do not shave themselves". But the barber is said to shave "those who do not shave themselves". Both statements can't be true. He can't be one who does not shave himself and simultaneously be one who shaves those who do not shave themselves. A paradox.

Barely Beat ya to it but you can get the credit

[Lithic]

It is NOT a paradox.

Barber wakes up in the morning, and sees he needs a shave. He doesnt shave himself, so he has to shave himself. 5mins later, he is shaved. Since he shaved himself, he can't shave himself. Fortunately, he no longer requires a shave.

Things begin again the next day

[Yazmyn]

Barber is a warforged

[mhorn]

Barely Beat ya to it but you can get the credit

Umm.. I want the credit. I posted the answer WAY before that

[VKhaun]

It's not a paradox.
The barber just... doesn't get a shave.
Nothing in there says he has to.


Classic riddle set up.
The question gives you a box to think within.
You've got to think outside of it.


Answer: No one.

[bobbryan2]

It's not a paradox.
The barber just... doesn't get a shave.
Nothing in there says he has to.


Classic riddle set up.
The question gives you a box to think within.
You've got to think outside of it.


Answer: No one.

Agreed. For this to be a true paradox, it would have to explicitly say that the barber shaves EVERYONE who does not shave themselves.

As it is, there is suitable reason to interpret the implied statement, "The barber shaves all who don't shave themselves (who also want to be shaved)"

The reason this is implied.. is because being a barber is something that people do for money. They don't go door to door, shaving everyone who wants a shave or not. By virtue of his position, he only shaves those who come in.

EDIT: To bring it more to home.

There are two groups given in the opening statement. Those who shave themselves, and those who do not but are still shaved. Since those are mutually exclusive... obviously the barber cannot belong to both groups. Thus... it appears paradoxical.

However, the existance of those two groups doesn't speak of yet a third group... those who do not shave themselves, nor wish to be shaved. As that category doesn't overlap with the original two, the barber can clearly belong in that group without causing a paradox.

[mhorn]

OK, it seems the OP may have missed a few points in the classic riddle.

the classic riddle contains:
An impossible scenario...
"Suppose there is a town with just one male barber; and that every man in the town keeps himself clean-shaven: some by shaving themselves, some by attending the barber."

IN this case, there is no 3rd group, because every man is clean shaven.

[dimster28]

it is too easy.

he shave himself but as himself at home, not as a barber at his business place.

so he never did shave himself as a barber.