[gwnn]

Alice is looking at Bob. Bob is looking at Christine. Alice is not married, Christine is married.

A/E please hide your answer.

[Phil]

Edit; good question Gwnn....

Unless Bob can be a poodle or something

[ArtK78]

I want to change my vote! My explanation is hidden below.

Spoiler

The answer is yes (and I voted insufficient information, so I want to change my vote).

There are two possibilities - either Bob is married or Bob is unmarried. If Bob is married, then since Alice is looking at Bob, an unmarried person (Alice) is looking at a married person (Bob). If Bob is unmarried, then an unmarried person (Bob) is looking at a married person (Christine).

Therefore, an unmarried person is looking at a married person.

[nigel_k]

Spoiler

I agree with ArtK78's reasoning. But if we're being pedantic we need further information. Firstly, are they all people? (Phil's point). Secondly, are married and unmarried mutually exclusive?. Or could Bob be divorced, widowed etc.

[gwnn]

nigel_k, on Nov 9 2009, 07:19 PM, said:

Spoiler

I agree with ArtK78's reasoning. But if we're being pedantic we need further information. Firstly, are they all people? (Phil's point). Secondly, are married and unmarried mutually exclusive?. Or could Bob be divorced, widowed etc.

Spoiler

dictionary.reference.com/browse/unmarried

[ArtK78]

I believe that the problem was phrased in a manner that the conditions "married" and "unmarried" are all or nothing conditions. You are either married or you are unmarried. It is a digital relationship.

I know from personal experience that nothing is ever that simple. I am technically "married" to the mother of my children, but who I have not lived with for almost 10 years. I have been living with my girlfriend for over 8 years, and many believe that she is my "wife." Some time soon technicality and reality will match, but for now, there are a lot of gray areas.

[Fluffy]

Nice one.

BTW when I read first I assumed Bob was unmarried, I had to reread ir a couple of times to realice that he wasn't, anyone else?

[ArtK78]

We know that Alice is not married.

We know that Christine is married.

We don't know whether Bob is married or unmarried.

[gwnn]

did anyone open the link I posted or did everyone just assume it was a blank post quoting another blank post? unmarried is defined as the opposite of married, there is no gray area.

[nickf]

What happened to Ted and Carol?

nickf
sydney

[kenberg]

Tune in to the next Jerry Springer show to find out.

[Phil]

gwnn, on Nov 9 2009, 02:49 PM, said:

nigel_k, on Nov 9 2009, 07:19 PM, said:

Spoiler

I agree with ArtK78's reasoning. But if we're being pedantic we need further information. Firstly, are they all people? (Phil's point). Secondly, are married and unmarried mutually exclusive?. Or could Bob be divorced, widowed etc.

Spoiler

dictionary.reference.com/browse/unmarried

Not really, because the question called for an unmarried person.

We don't even know if Bob is a person.

[gwnn]

The link regarding the word "unmarried" was in response to the part of Nigel's post that was about the word "unmarried".

Anyway this thread is making me sick, I was really duped into c, I was hoping at least a few people would get it wrong. Although I'm not sure what "I want to change my answer" means in this context

[ArtK78]

gwnn, on Nov 10 2009, 03:46 AM, said:

The link regarding the word "unmarried" was in response to the part of Nigel's post that was about the word "unmarried".

Anyway this thread is making me sick, I was really duped into c, I was hoping at least a few people would get it wrong. Although I'm not sure what "I want to change my answer" means in this context

I did not see anyone who said "I want to change my answer."

I stated that I wanted to change my vote, as I made my vote before thinking the problem through. If you check the hidden text in my first post, I spelled that out.

[gwnn]

Art - I can't see how you spelled that out. You just said I voted c but the answer is a. Not unlike BBO misclicks, it is never clear why someone wishes to change his or her vote.

Of course the correct answer is a and of course almost anyone is capable of arriving to that answer if they think it through. People like helene_t or I got it wrong because they did not think it through properly.

When I was asked this on meebo by my friend I quickly answered c and then couldn't "change my vote" because he was already LOL-ing at me. Apparently I am suffering from a condition called dysrationalia, along with 80% of the world population. There is a blog post about it (that links to a sciam article):

http://eideneurolearningblog.blogspot.com/...rationalia.html

Not very good for bridge performance I guess.

[barmar]

The way the puzzle is phrased induces people to concentrate on the known marital status of Alice and and Christine, and the unknown status of Bob. That's what causes people who don't consider it fully to answer c.

And if Alice and Christine had the same marital status, c would indeed be the correct answer.