The Berry Paradox....
The Berry Paradox comes in a few different forms. Here is one of the simplest examples of it for easy comprehension:
Name "the smallest possible integer NOT definable by fewer than twelve words".
It's easy to imagine examples (definitions) that DON'T work:
the number of toes on your right foot [only 8 words, to define the number "5"]
the number of inches in a foot [7 words to define the number "12"]
the number of seconds in a million years [8 words to define whatever the number would be]
easy enough...
The problem arises however (if it isn't already obvious), that if you did somehow find an integer that you could only define with a sentence of 12 or more words, and it WAS the smallest such definable integer,
THEN,
IT could be accurately designated (defined) by the original
11-word sentence above ("the smallest possible integer not definable by fewer than twelve words") --- thus a self-referential contradiction!
...Another example of where mixing language/semantics with numbers/mathematics proves vexing, throwing light on illogical ambiguity or paradox within language. Much of the history of underlying problems with mathematical consistency entails issues of self-reference.
More on the Berry paradox via Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berry_paradox
Image via Wikipedia
