Epimenides Paradox
Paradox
Epimenides of Knossos famously stated:
- All Cretans are liars.
As Epimenides himself was a Cretan, then naturally he would have been telling a lie when he said it.
That would mean all Cretans are not liars, which would mean (as Epimenides was a Cretan) he would have been telling the truth.
This would then mean Epimenides was a liar.
Hence this statement contradicts itself.
Resolution
Just because someone has been categorised as a "liar", does not necessarily mean that everything they say is a lie.
In a similar vein, just because someone is categorised as a "truth teller", does not necessarily mean that nothing they say is a lie.
Hence this is a false dichotomy.
Besides, the negation of All Cretans are liars is not All Cretans are not liars, but Not all Cretans are liars.
This is perfectly consistent with Epimenides himself as being one of the Cretans who is a liar.
Thus the Epimenides Paradox can be classified as a falsidical paradox, as it is only faulty reasoning that renders this statement paradoxical.
Also see
Source of Name
This entry was named for Epimenides of Knossos.
Historical Note
Epimenides of Knossos is quoted as having said:
- The Cretans, always liars, evil beasts, idle bellies!
This may have been in response to a Cretan stating that Zeus is mortal, which offended Epimenides's religious sensibilities.
Hence this statement is not an intrinsic paradox, but rather an opinion of the Cretans from Epimenides.
In fact, Epimenides Paradox has been considered paradoxical only from the $19$th century, when the rules of logic had only recently begun to be explored.