For 100 points: Superlogicians are those unusual individuals who well-nigh instantaneously deduce all logical consequences of a given piece of information. For some reason, they tend to look rather odd too. David Lewis, the much-loved American logician who died recently, was seventysome; was built like a barrel; stood six foot eight in his socks; and sported a grey waist-length rabbinical beard. But he had a mind like a steel trap, and they called him ‘The Machine in the Ghost'.
Not unexpectedly, superlogicians are rare. Indeed, Balliol has only two. A lunchtime exchange not so long ago might give you an idea of what it's like working with them. I was in the fish queue last year when I overheard the following:-
DAVID: Hi, Ofra. I've just spent an hour trying to get a normal conversation out of David Lewis. But you know what he's like. I asked him how old his two sons were. All he would say is that Aristotle is less than ten, and is at least as old as Berkeley, who is at least two. Which hardly narrows it down. So I pressed politely, and he added that their ages multiply to the age of my sister Camilla, and sum to the age of your daughter Davina. Irritating, isn't he? But I'm hooked. I can't work it out without knowing how old Davina is.
OFRA: And I can't work it out without knowing how old Camilla is.
DAVID: I still need to know how old Davina is.
OFRA: And I still need to know how old Camilla is.
DAVID: Thanks. Now I know the lot. Funny thing, though….I had a hunch right up to the end that Aristotle would turn out older than that …..
And conversation drifted off onto more important matters, like the piece of cod which passeth all understanding.
No doubt neither you nor I have the speed of our superlogicians, but perhaps we can emulate their logic.
As always, solutions should aim for accuracy, rigour, brevity, elegance and wit. The Editor's decision is final.
-oOo-