What would happen if Pinocchio said, "My nose is going to grow"

my brain exploded.

let's start with an easier question. what if he said "my d**k is going to grow"?

Well, does Pinocchio's nose grow when he knowingly lies, or when he simply tells something that is not true. If it's the first, then he honestly believes that his nose will grow, so he's not lying, and his nose will not grow.

The second is a little far-fetched. He can just say, x will happen and if his nose grows, he can predict the future.

You're oversimplifying a bit.

Assuming Pinocchino's nose grows only when he knowingly lies. If he honestly believes his nose will grow, then he is knowingly lying when he states "My nose is going to grow". If he is knowingly lying when he makes that statement, then he doesn't believe his nose will grow. So Pinocchino would have to simultaneously believe and disbelieve the statement "My nose is going to grow". This would cause his head to explode.

First it wouldn't grow, then it would. Problem solved

This is like a "Gettier Problem" on LSD.

http://www.ditext.com/gettier/gettier.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettier_problem

If you build it, they will come.

Unless Pinocchio can knowingly predict the future - his prediction isn't a truth statement. His nose will not grow because he isn't telling a lie.

so this naked woman sits on pinocchios face and says lie to me lie to me oh lie to me faster lie to me harder.

In his statement, Pinocchio's provides no prediction of when his nose might grow. He doesn't say "my nose is going to grow now" or "my nose is going to grow today." He simply says that it will happen at some point in the future. The statement can only be proven false once Pinocchio is dead. His nose will not grow as a result of his statement.

You all have too much time on your hands.

MonkeyMan wrote:

You're oversimplifying a bit.

Assuming Pinocchino's nose grows only when he knowingly lies. If he honestly believes his nose will grow, then he is knowingly lying when he states "My nose is going to grow". If he is knowingly lying when he makes that statement, then he doesn't believe his nose will grow. So Pinocchino would have to simultaneously believe and disbelieve the statement "My nose is going to grow". This would cause his head to explode.

If you plan to fail and then succeed, which did you do?

If Pinocchio said "my nose is going to grow" a massive black hole will form in the middle of the universe. Because of every body trying to figure out what would happen. :)

He hasn't provided a time frame for his prediction, so it will never actually become a false statement. The growth of his nose at any time in the future makes his statement true, so his nose will not grow as a result of his statement because the truthfulness of his statement will never be known.

And now that I actually read the thread, apparently I said the same exact thing a year ago.

MonkeyMan wrote:

So Pinocchino would have to simultaneously believe and disbelieve the statement "My nose is going to grow". This would cause his head to explode.

This would be Shroedinger's nose.

Mr. Obvious wrote:

This would be Shroedinger's nose.

That's A+ work, Mr. Obvious.