read this: resolute urgency
dig this: post secrets

anyway, its Vesak Day -- school holiday, and i'm busy busy busy.

i) Tomorrow there's TXY Meeting so i've got to get the comics drawn FAST.
ii) Monday there's Math and Chemistry SA and i've mugged neither.
iii) Literature Performance Task is due don't know when and i've only got the Skeleton done.
iv) for GY illustration project i've yet to email the group
v) MOTHER'S DAY IS IN TWO DAYS.

Sigh. Procrastinators lead a hard life ;) Anyway did i tell you? I FINALLY GOT PHOTOSHOP. x) Thanks to Syehyin. Now that's one more item off my wishlist. I swear to dedicate my whole June holidays to studying PS tricks and experimenting on it. I installed it yesterday and i've already borrowed two books on it! x)

Following that, i will study web design, flash, java, CG, african literature, mountain-climbing, how to dominate the world and finally, communication with ET.

I also borrowed a book called Philosophy 101 by Martin Cohen. I didn't have time so i only read a few pages, but here's what i found interesting. To people like Joy who detest Philosophy, aww.

Problem 1: The Hanging Judge
Now Judge Dread had had many disagreeable people before him but this one, who styled himself 'the Philosopher', despite never having studied the subject, had really annoyed him. Dread says:

'I intend to teach you the value of honesty, prisoner. You have been found guilty being a crook and a swindler and of repeatedly and systematically lying to the court to try to save your wretched skin. Well justice has caught up with you now, my friend. The sentence of this court is that you be taken from here to a place of execution and hanged by the neck until you are dead.

...BUT, as i am a magnimous Judge, i shall give you one more opportunity to learn the value of truth. If, on the day of your execution, you sign a statement making one true declaration, the sentence will be commuted to ten years imprisonment. If , on the other hand, your statement is, in the view of the Chief Executioner, false, the sentence will be carried out immediately.'

At this the jury applaud at the severity of the sentence and everyone in the courtroom looks at the defendant, pleaed to see such a villain get a heavy sentence, coupled with the humiliating public true declaration. But, strangely, the Philosopher just smirks back as he is led away to Death Row.

The day of the execution arrives and the crook, beaming, signs a declaration which is handed to the Chief Executioner who reads it with growing bewilderment. Then, snarling, she crumples it up and orders the Philosopher be released, with no penalty whatsoever to be imposed.

What could the prisoner have said in the statement to have saved himself?


Problem 3: Protagoras' Problem
Euathlos has learned from Protagoras how to be a lawyer, under a very generous arrangement whereby he doesn't need to pay anything for his tuition until and unless hi wins his first court case. Rather to Protagoras' annoyance, however, after giving up hours of his time training Euathlos, the pupil decides to become a musician and never takes any court cases. Protagoras demands that Euathlos pay him for his troubles and when the musician refuses, decides to sue him in court.

Protagoras reasons that is Euathlos loses the case, he, Protagoras, will have won, in which case he will get his money back, and furthermore, that even if he loses, Euathlos will then have won a case, despite his proestations about being a musician now, and will therefore still have to pay up.

Euathlos reasons a little differently however. If i lose, he thinks, then i will have lost my first court case, in which even, the original agreement releases me from having to pay any tuition fees. And, even if he wins, Protagoras will still have lost the right to enforce the contract, so he will not need to pay anything.

They can't both be right. So who's making the mistake?


Problem 9: The Society for Useless Information
Pity the organisers of the Society for Useless Information! Deluged by applicants, they decided to tighten up the entry requirements fro membership. Now all prospective members were told they must produce one piece of completely useless information in order to join and get the priveleges of membership, which include acess to the Society's reading room. The rule is to be strictly adhered to. But twelve years later after the rule decision, the President of the Society faces the harsh truth that since the change no one has joined. It looks as if the Society will have to close down.

What has gone wrong?


Problem 10: The Sentence
At last!

Something that is definite. The statement in the next post is true.