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skydragon720
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skydragon720
343 posts
Nomad

What happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object?

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MrDayCee
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MrDayCee
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King

I've heard this question before! =)

It is called "The Irresistible force paradox" or the "Unstoppable force paradox" and is a classic paradox formulated as "What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?".

The immovable object and the irresistible force are both implicitly assumed to be indestructible, or else the question would have a trivial resolution ("it destroys it&quot.
Furthermore, it is assumed that they are two separate entities, since an irresistible force is implicitly an immovable object, and vice versa. Another common answer is: "The former is consumed by the latter, with an immeasurable release of heat".

The apparent paradox arises because it rests on two premisesâ"that there exist such things as irresistible forces and immovable objectsâ"which cannot both be true at once. If there exists an irresistible force, it follows logically that there cannot be any such thing as an immovable object, and vice versa.

In the philosophical realm there is no force to move everything since the force by definition belongs also to everything. Such, an irresistible force cannot exist because it would require an infinite amount of energy which is not possible in a finite universe. An immovable object cannot exist because everything is constantly moving and an object that large would collapse under its own weight and create a black hole.

(Source : wikipedia)


Personally... I like to think of the paradox being quoted in this particular scene of the movie The Dark Knight! It's way more fun and less dusty! LOL

daleks
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daleks
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Chamberlain

What happens when an unstoppable force hits an immovable object?

While it is a paradox it could never happen by exactly what Ernie said. It is a dumb paradox in my mind if it could never happen.
daleks
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daleks
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Chamberlain

what Ernie said

DayCee. Sorry about that. I was thinking about Ernie for some reason.
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