Our only apparently unique invention is written language, and there’s lots of evidence that it’s the least effective form of communication we have, and the form most prone to misunderstanding
writes Dave Pollard in his recent blog post Turning Together Without Words.
The only thing we learn from history is that we do not learn from history.
(This quote and variations of it can be found easily.) Considering the fact that each and everyone seems to stumble over this insight sooner or later it could well be based on a wee bit of eternal truth. However, if it is, it is hiding it very well. Indeed, what it shows is that history of history is unknown. Speaking of learning, it is not taught either.
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i c u + not how u c u + how i c u counts 4 me
+ not how u c u + what counts 4 me counts 4 u
This fascinating illustration, a variation of the Ouroboros theme, I luckily found at the Good Winter Tumblr blog. (Click the picture to see the original version.)
No example of the liar’s paradox but a good warm-up is
The Puzzle of the Masked Men (found at Fallacy Files)
During a bank robbery, one of the masked robbers shot a bank guard. The police caught all four robbers and interrogated them in an attempt to determine which was the shooter. Each was questioned while attached to a lie detector machine and … (read on at Fallacy Files)
She: I discovered that we are almost unique.
He: Define almost!
She: The problem is not the almost, the problem is the unique.
Though, of course, it is not the unique problem, but almost!
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