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60-Second Adventures in Thought: Track 1

Posted under Philosophy
28 Sep
2011


Can a cat be both alive and dead? Can a computer think? How does a tortoise beat Achilles in a race? Voiced by comedian David Mitchell, these fast-paced animations explain six famous thought experiments, from the ancient Greeks to Albert Einstein, that have changed the way we see the world. Subjects as vast as time travel, infinity, quantum mechanics and artificial intelligence, are squeezed into 60-second clips that will tickle your funny bone and blow your mind.

Track 1: Achilles and the Tortoise

Ancient mathematical trickery proves that a mighty hero cannot overtake a tortoise.


© The Open University


Tracks in this podcast:

Track  TitleDescription
1Achilles and the Tortoise  Ancient mathematical trickery proves that a mighty hero cannot overtake a tortoise. Read more Achilles and the Tortoise
2The Grandfather Paradox  A well known story that questions the logic of time travel. Read more The Grandfather Paradox
3The Chinese Room  An argument against computers ever being truly intelligent. Read more The Chinese Room
4Hilbert’s Infinite Hotel  A never-ending hotel, always full of guests, helps to explain the nature of infinity. Read more Hilbert’s Infinite Hotel
5The Twin Paradox  An identical twin in space illustrates Einstein's special theory of relativity. Read more The Twin Paradox
6Schrödinger’s Cat  This famous experiment tackling quantum theory involves a cat in a potentially lethal box. Read more Schrödinger’s Cat


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