Abstract

This is an illustrated guide to a wonderland of reason where nothing is as it seems, through a maze of mental curiosities and contradictions. It discusses paradoxes of all types--mathematical, logical, scientific, philosophical and more. Though many involve sophisticated concepts and logical reasoning, none requires a highly technical background-knowledge of ordinary language and simple arithmetic will do. Twenty-five stand-alone chapters each present and discuss a different paradox, including: the Barber Paradox; the Crocodile's Dilemma, M. C. Escher's Paradoxes, the Liar Paradox, the Prisoner's Dilemma, the Raven Paradox, Zeno's Paradox, and many others. Each chapter features an end note indicating related paradoxes elsewhere in the book. Includes 118 mind-boggling illustrations, optical illusions and visual acrobatics.