[Math] To Mock A Mockingbird: Two barbers (logic puzzle)

logicpuzzle

I suspect an error in the solution given to a logic problem in the book To Mock a Mockingbird (Chapter 3 Problem 2).

Problem

Suppose I told you that the town contains two barbers, Arturo and
Roberto, and that Arturo shaves all and only those inhabitants who
shave Roberto, and Roberto shaves all and only those inhabitants who
don't shave Arturo
. Does this lead to a paradox?

Solution

No, this is no paradox. It could be that Roberto shaves himself, Arturo shaves Roberto, Arturo doesn't shave himself, and Roberto doesn't shave Arturo. The other X's in the town don't really matter; indeed, Arturo and Roberto could just as well be the town's only inhabitants.

The problem I have with this answer is that "Arturo doesn't shave himself" and "Roberto doesn't shave Arturo" while the problem states that "Roberto shaves all and only those inhabitants who don't shave Arturo". Therefore shouldn't Roberto also shave Arturo (invalidating the answer)? Or am I missing something?

Best Answer

You're right, the given solution is in error for exactly the reasons you and Alex have observed. There are two valid solutions: either (a) Roberto shaves Arturo but not himself, and Arturo shaves no one, or (b) its negation: Arturo shaves the both of them, and Roberto shaves only himself.

The stated conditions are that for any inhabitant $X$, $AsX = XsR$ and $RsX = \lnot XsA$, where $PsQ$ denotes that $P$ shaves $Q$. Assuming Arturo and Roberto are the town's only inhabitants, there are four variables in the situation, namely $AsA$, $AsR$, $RsA$, and $RsR$. The given conditions then reduce to $$\begin{align} AsA &= AsR, \\ AsR &= RsR, \\ RsA &= \lnot AsA, \\ RsR &= \lnot RsA, \end{align}$$ or in other words, $$\begin{matrix}AsA & \!\!=\!\! & AsR \\ \lVert & & \lVert \\ \lnot RsA & \!\!=\!\! & RsR\end{matrix}$$ which clearly has the two solutions above.

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