Now Judge Dread had had many disagreeable people before him, but this one, who styled himself 'the Philosopher', despite never having studied the subject, had really annoyed him. Dread says:

'I intend to teach you the value of honesty, prisoner.You have been found guilty of being a crook and a swindler and of repeatedly and systematically lying to the court to try to save your wretched skin. Well, justice has caught up with you now, my friend. The sentence of this court is . . .' (here the Judge pauses for effect and dons a pair of black gloves and a little black hat) ' . . that you be taken from here to a place of execution and hanged by the neck until you are dead.

. . . BUT, as I am a magnanimous Judge, I shall give you one more opportunity to learn the value of truth. If, on the day of your execution, you sign a statement making one true declaration, the sentence will be commuted to ten years imprisonment. If, on the other hand, your statement is, in the view of the Chief Executioner, false, the sentence will be carried out immediately. And I warn you,' Dread adds, seeing his words having no effect on the crook, 'the Chief is a member of the Logical Positivist Executioners' Club and will dismiss any metaphysical nonsense as false, so don't try any of your tricks on her! There, now you have one day in which to make your choice!'

At this the jury applaud at the severity of the sentence and everyone in the courtroom looks at the defendant, pleased to see such a villain get a heavy sentence, coupled with the humiliating public true declaration. But, strangely, the Philosopher just smirks back as he is led away to Death Row.

The day of the execution arrives and the crook, beaming, signs a declaration which is handed to the Chief Executioner who reads it with growing bewilderment. Then, snarling, she crumples it up and orders the Philosopher be released, with no penalty whatsoever to be ~imposed.

What could the prisoner have said in the statement to have saved himself?

THE COW IN THE FlELD*

Farmer Field is concerned about his prize cow, Daisy. In fact, he is so concerned that when his dairyman tells him that Daisy is in the field, happily grazing, he says he needs to know for certain. He doesn't want~ just to have a 99 per cent idea that Daisy is safe, he wants to be able to say that he knows Daisy is okay.

Farmer Field goes out to the field and standing by the gate sees in the distance, behind some trees, a white and black shape that he recognises as his favourite cow. He goes back to the dairy and tells his friend that he knows Daisy is in the field.

At this point, does Farmer Field really know it?

The dairyman says he will check too, and goes to the field. There he finds Daisy, having a nap in a hollow, behind a bush, well out of sight of the gate. He also spots a large piece of black and white paper that has got caught in a tree.

Daisy is in the field, as Farmer Field thought. 

But was he right to say that he knew she was?
 

*These problems are extracts are from 101 Philosophy Problems by Martin Cohen (published by Routledge 1999/ 2002 and in other translations.) The text and images are reproduced here  for educational, academic and non-commerical purposes only.