TED-Ed: Can you solve the troll’s paradox riddle? - Dan Finkel

In this video, you and your brother explore the realm of Paradoxica, encountering a troll that captures creatures. The troll challenges you with a paradoxical logic puzzle: say something true to free the creatures or something false to free your brother. Using coercive logic, you craft a statement that forces the troll to release both your brother and the creatures. This solution, inspired by Raymond Smullyan, demonstrates the power of logical reasoning. The creatures celebrate their freedom and promise to lead you to treasure.

What does the troll offer if you say something true?

• It will release all the creatures.

• It will release your brother.

• It will let you go free.

• It will give you a treasure.

Who is credited with inventing the concept of coercive logic?

• Stephen Hawking

• Isaac Newton

• Raymond Smullyan

• Albert Einstein

What is the main challenge in crafting a statement for the troll?

• Ensuring its truth depends on the troll's actions

• Making it a question instead of a statement

• Ensuring it is both true and false

• Making it long enough to confuse the troll

What statement forces the troll to release both the brother and the creatures?

• You will free the creatures.

• You will free my brother.

• You are a troll.

• You will eat the creatures.

Why does the troll have to make the statement 'You will free my brother' true?

• Because it wants to eat the brother

• Because it wants to keep the creatures

• Because it loves paradoxes

• Because it hates paradoxes