Skip to main content

The paradox at the heart of mathematics: Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem - Marcus du Sautoy

3,825,115 Views

3,493 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Consider the following sentence: “This statement is false.” Is that true? If so, that would make the statement false. But if it’s false, then the statement is true. This sentence creates an unsolvable paradox; if it’s not true and it’s not false– what is it? This question led a logician to a discovery that would change mathematics forever. Marcus du Sautoy digs into Gödel’s Incompleteness Theorem.

A(n)_______ is a logical argument that demonstrates why a mathematical statement is true. It relies on _____, an undeniable proposition about the numbers within an argument.

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 Marcus du Sautoy
  • Director BASA
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Storyboard Artist Piruleta Ortiz
  • Lead Animator Piruleta Ortiz
  • Animator Daniela Espinosa
  • Compositor Eduardo Moya
  • Art Director Diego Huacuja
  • Music Igor Figueroa , Mono
  • Sound Designer Igor Figueroa, Mono
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Production Coordinator Abdallah Ewis
  • Script Editor Eden Girma
  • Fact-Checker Jennifer Nam

More from Questions No One (Yet) Knows the Answers To