PUZZLING THE PROFESSOR

New Zealand Tablet, 1 October 1908, Page 38

PUZZLING THE PROFESSOR

A professor of logic, who was not particularly lucid in his deductions, was on one occasion endeavoring to substantiate that ' an article remains the same notwithstanding the substitution of some of its parts.' A young student held up his knife and inquired : 'Suppose I should lose the blade of this knife, and should get another one made and inserted in its place, would it be the same knife as it was before? \ 'To be sure,' replied the professor. ' Well, then,' the student went on, ' suppose I should lose the handle and get another, would it be the same knife still ? ' ' Of course,' the professor again replied. ' But if somebody should find the old blade and the old handle and should put them together, what knife would that be? ' The professor's answer is not recorded.