But what's paradoxical about the grim reaper case as described is that, even though it entails that you die between 12 and 1, it's also inconsistent with your dying at any time between 12 and 1. They don't specify when exactly you die, but they're consistent with your dying at any time between 12 and 1. You're right that your (1) and (2) are not paradoxical. Now some may complain because I'm not specifying what caused me to die, but I believe this is due to it being undetermined in the description of the paradox, since if I were to state just 1 and 2, it wouldn't be considered a paradox. I can't die between 12:00pm and 1pm (12pm not included).ġ and 2 clearly imply that I died either at or before 12pm. There are two points that we can derive from the description of the paradox: I cannot survive to any moment past 12pm (a grim reaper would get me first), but I cannot be killed (for grim reaper n to kill me, I must have survived grim reaper n+1, which is impossible). But a little reflection reveals that the situation as described is contradictory. On the face of it, this situation seems conceivable - each reaper seems conceivable individually and intrinsically, and it seems reasonable to combine distinct individuals with distinct intrinsic properties into one situation. You are still alive just before 12pm, you can only die through the motion of a grim reaper’s scythe, and once dead you stay dead. Grim reaper 3 is disposed to kill you with a scythe at 12:15 pm, and so on. Grim reaper 2 is disposed to kill you with a scythe at 12:30 pm, if and only if you are still alive then, taking 15 minutes about it. Grim reaper 1 is disposed to kill you with a scythe at 1pm, if and only if you are still alive then (otherwise his scythe remains immobile throughout), taking 30 minutes about it. There are countably many grim reapers, one for every positive integer. The paradox states: (Taken from Wikipedia) I tried to look online but most philosophers seem to have different explanations for the paradox, so I would like some feedback to understand if my "solution" makes some sense. I was reading about the paradox, and gave it some thought, I think this is not an actual paradox.
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