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Can you solve the troll’s paradox riddle? - Dan Finkel

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  • 1,262 Questions Answered
  • TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

You and your brother have discovered another realm and set off exploring the new wonderful world. Along the way, you see a troll catching creatures in an enormous net. The troll agrees to release the creatures if you can come up with a statement that is both truth and false. Can you come up with the correct sentence and force the troll to release them? Dan Finkel shows how.


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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Daniel Finkel
  • Director Igor Coric, Nemanja Petrovic
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Producer Milica Lapcevic
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Fact-Checker Brian Gutierrez
Additional Resources for you to Explore

How much more coercive can you get with coercive logic? Can you think of a way to get the troll to dance around or cluck like a chicken if it has to act according to the rules it set out? What are the limits of coercive logic?

Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Daniel Finkel
  • Director Igor Coric, Nemanja Petrovic
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Producer Milica Lapcevic
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Fact-Checker Brian Gutierrez

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