Nabiki smiled at Hotaru in a warm and friendly manner that would have sent any experienced resident of Nerima running for the hills. "Say, Hotaru-chan, could I interest you in a little game?"
Hotaru smiled back brightly. "Oh yes, I like games!"
Nabiki's smile widened in a way that would have made a shark pull out a mirror and try to imitate her. "It's a bit of a logic puzzle. It goes like this: Everything I say is a lie."
Hotaru frowned in concentration. "Okay. Everything you say is a lie. That means... what you just said is a lie, too. But then... it means that not everything you say is a lie. So, err, sometimes you tell the truth and sometimes you lie. And what you said just now was one of those times, right? Is that the solution?"
To her credit, Nabiki's smile did not waver by any amount visible to human or android without specialized equipment. "Yes, that's right."
Hotaru clapped her hands. "That's fun! I like logic puzzles. Do you know another one?"
Nabiki seized the chance and fired her second choice. "How about this: If God is omnipotent, can he create a rock that he can't lift?"
"Well... I'm not a Christian, so I'm not sure about this..."
"Don't worry," said Nabiki, "neither am I."
"Okay, then... If he is omnipotent that means he can do anything, right? Really really anything. I think, well, doesn't that mean he must be able to stop being omnipotent? If he can't limit his powers by creating that rock, then he wasn't really omnipotent to start with."
"Right, right. Well done," said Nabiki, quickly casting about for another paradox. "What about... What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?"
"Oh, I know that one!" Hotaru exclaimed excitedly. "The object is destroyed. Everything must yield before the irresistible force, see? But the object is immovable and can't yield - therefore it is destroyed. I can demonstrate, if you want..." The baton in her hand started humming disconcertingly.
"No! Err, no, that's not necessary," said Nabiki, waving her arms.
"Okay," Hotaru acquiesced. "Do you know any more? This is fun!"
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(Posted Wed, 14 May 2003 18:06)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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