1. Beth; Joe can’t be telling the truth because then Beth would be lying, and Al’s statement (which is also a lie) would mean that Beth is telling the truth. These two facts contradict each other. Therefore Joe is lying, which means that Beth is telling the truth.
2. Lara went first, then Kara, then Sara, then Mara, and then Tara.
3. Ten
4. Mr Cooper is the doctor
5. 72 days
6. Quill, quoll, quell
7. From strongest to weakest: Laura, Lance, Lenny, Lulu
8. “Twelve plus one” or “One plus twelve”
9. (a) 7 W of the A W = 7 Wonders of the Ancient World
(b) 1,001 A N = 1,001 Arabian Nights
(c) 12 S of the Z = 12 Signs of the Zodiac
10. He’s lying!
“To deny the opposite of the veracity” = to deny falsehood = to affirm the truth
“I guarantee that it is untenable” = it cannot be maintained
Skeptics Café
the virtual skeptic event
could you please explain the Mr Cooper solution. I didnt get the answer….please….
Original question:
Al says Beth is lying, Beth says Joe is lying, Joe accuses both of them of lying. Who is telling the truth?
Original answer:
Beth; Joe can’t be telling the truth because then Beth would be lying, and Al’s statement (which is also a lie) would mean that Beth is telling the truth. These two facts contradict each other. Therefore Joe is lying, which means that Beth is telling the truth
Further explanation:
See what happens if you follow through the logic on whether or not Al, or Beth, or Joe are lying. Take each of them one at a time.
(1) If it is Al that is telling the truth, then Beth must be lying. If Beth is lying, then Joe must also be telling the truth. If Joe is telling the truth, then Al and Beth are lying. “Al is telling the truth” contradicts “Al is lying”. So it is not Al that is telling the truth.
(2) If it is Beth that is telling the truth, then she must be right when she says Joe is lying and Al is lying, because Al is accusing Beth of lying. No contradictions there.
(3) If it is Joe who is telling the truth, then Al must be lying when he says Beth is lying. Beth must also be telling the truth. But Beth says Joe is lying, which contradicts the idea that Joe is telling the truth
So it must be Beth that is telling the truth.
Hope that helps.