Paradox of Surprise? Yes? No?

[Rhizomorph13]

(29th December 2010 19:07)EvidenceVsFaith Wrote:  I think you have sussed the flaw. You can't be surprised and not surprised at exactly the same time. But maybe all paradoxes are really contradictions it's just we haven't been able to unravel them yet? Something either is or isn't.... so how can paradoxes really exist?

What if time X was a day, like a birthday. So you expect a surprise party on your birthday, but nobody throws you a surprise party therefore you aren't surprised by the party. You are surprised that nobody threw you one, so you were surprised on your birthday so this proves that expecting to be surprised will beget a reaction of surprise therefore it is a self fulfilling prophecy. Ergo it is paradoxically impossible to not be surprised when you expect a surprise because surprise in inevitable either by the expected surprise manifesting itself or surprise at its absence manifesting. You know, if you say the word surprise enough times it stops feeling like a meaningful word. Surprise!

[Darwinian]

I'm not sure I think this is at least a three pipe problem...

[HalcyonicTrust]

What can I say? Awesome.

So there are exceptions to the rule.... if you treat it as a specific time and not an instant, the paradox works?

And since time is measured and instants are immeasurable, at what time would this paradox not apply unless it's at a time we cannot measure and so outside of our concept of time?

[Rhizomorph13]

(29th December 2010 21:54)Darwinian Wrote:  I'm not sure I think this is at least a three pipe problem...

Ok, so I get the reference and find it funny, but I also have the thought, "Shit man, you better find a better dealer cause the shit you are smoking is weak!"

[The Omnissiunt One]

There's actually a well-known philosophical paradox which is related to this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unexpected_hanging_paradox

[HalcyonicTrust]

Oh I remember that paradox, I love that paradox.

It's like mine only a lot less vague, with a lot more detail and a lot more interesting.

[The Omnissiunt One]

Yours was interesting. It just hasn't generated a whole philosophical literature of its own.

[jason56]

It's perfectly possible to feel two opposite emotions at the same time.

Anyway, in the example given it's actually two separate events. The first event only creates the conditions for the surprise, but you will remain unsurprised at the event you thought was going to surprise you.

This example also works:

You predict your own surprise -> YOU'RE NOT SURPRISED -> that makes you sad -> that makes you cry -> that makes you not see the lion -> that surprises you.

It's a chain of (complex) human emotion that gives the result predicted.

Or have I missed the point, again? You philosophy guys crack me up/.