Talk:1134: Logic Boat - Revision history

180.181.250.224 at 03:27, 1 February 2026

2026-02-01T03:27:59Z

172.68.46.41 at 06:33, 5 June 2018

2018-06-05T06:33:13Z

162.158.155.74 at 13:11, 23 July 2017

2017-07-23T13:11:49Z

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162.158.214.58 at 04:35, 22 July 2017

2017-07-22T04:35:12Z

Davidy22 at 08:47, 23 November 2014

2014-11-23T08:47:40Z

108.162.216.190 at 06:07, 23 November 2014

2014-11-23T06:07:42Z

Pudder at 12:11, 31 October 2014

2014-10-31T12:11:28Z

Z at 22:02, 3 August 2014

2014-08-03T22:02:39Z

Z at 22:01, 3 August 2014

2014-08-03T22:01:37Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:27, 1 February 2026
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	This is the only website I've heard call it "wolf-goat-cabbage". Even wikipedia doesn't call it that anymore. And the trope is http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FoxChickenGrainPuzzle - [[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.58\|162.158.214.58]] 04:35, 22 July 2017 (UTC)		This is the only website I've heard call it "wolf-goat-cabbage". Even wikipedia doesn't call it that anymore. And the trope is http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FoxChickenGrainPuzzle - [[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.58\|162.158.214.58]] 04:35, 22 July 2017 (UTC)
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		+	THROW THEM ALL ACROSS!!![[Special:Contributions/180.181.250.224\|180.181.250.224]] 03:27, 1 February 2026 (UTC)

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 Why not take the boat as well? The goat could drag it around, and you could use it as a makeshift shelter until you finish building a proper house. Also, why does cabbage weigh as much as a goat? [[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]][[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>(talk)</tt>]] 05:50, 14 November 2012 (UTC)
 I'd say that the wolf is the only one amongst them he should keep. Seeing as how the wolf doesn't treat Cueball like the goat--i.e. rip him to shreds--and actually fears him enough to even respect the goat in his presence, I'd say that the wolf is well broken-in and might make a good companion. The goat, on the other hand, is just dead weight. (Sure, Cueball could eat her, but that's why he has the cabbage.)
 [1] Take the cabbage across [2] Return alone [3] Find the goat problem solved--and your friend well-fed [4] Take the wolf across [[Special:Contributions/207.237.164.241|207.237.164.241]] 06:33, 14 November 2012 (UTC)

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 The comments describing other shortcuts are really just emphasizing the joke in this comic.  The logic puzzle introduces arbitrary constraints and asks the solver to come up with a solution.  (This is reminiscent of the classic xkcd on [[356|Nerd Sniping]].)  Most normal people would have the responses you listed about the constraints being arbitrary, but the people vulnerable to Nerd Sniping (i.e. nerds) usually are willing to ignore reality to solve a puzzle with artificial constraints.  The purpose of the puzzle is to encourage logical thinking.  (Maybe I should take the wolf first so it can't eat the goat. Oh, but then the goat would eat the cabbage. But if I take the cabbage first, the wolf would eat the goat.  Therefore, I must take the goat first. ... Continue reasoning with trial and error until the puzzle is solved...)  However, you correctly are pointing out how artificial the constraints on the puzzle are.  In the actual comic, the solution of leaving the wolf behind would come as a humorous surprise to the nerd following along coming up with a solution. [[User:S|S]] ([[User talk:S|talk]]) 00:07, 15 November 2012 (UTC)
 ::And that would be the long way towards the 'Explanation' section [[Special:Contributions/207.237.164.241|207.237.164.241]] 09:42, 15 November 2012 (UTC)
 I see this as a play on the common use of “logical” to mean “consistent implicit goals or values,” as oppose to “consistent with the principles of inference” as in formal logic. For example, it's the former usage we see when Spock in Star Trek II says, “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few,” or in Star Trek IV, he says, “To hunt a species to extinction is not logical.” You leave the wolf because it’s not logical to hang around wolves longer than necessary –they’re dangerous. Of course, this usage of “logic” is highly relative and subjective (in contrast to formal logic). As some have argued, wolves are not only logical, but awesome. Title text drills home how subjective and relative this use of “logic” is. It’s not logical to take the cabbage because I don’t like cabbage. But I like goats so they “make sense.” --[[User:Emzed|Emzed]] ([[User talk:Emzed|talk]]) 18:40, 30 November 2012 (UTC)

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 Why not take the boat as well? The goat could drag it around, and you could use it as a makeshift shelter until you finish building a proper house. Also, why does cabbage weigh as much as a goat? [[User:Davidy22|<span title="I want you."><u><font color="purple" size="2px">David</font><font color="green" size="3px">y</font></u><sup><font color="indigo" size="1px">22</font></sup></span>]][[User talk:Davidy22|<tt>(talk)</tt>]] 05:50, 14 November 2012 (UTC)
-<p>I'd say that the wolf is the only one amongst them he should keep. Seeing as how the wolf doesn't treat Cueball like the goat--i.e. rip him to shreds--and actually fears him enough to even respect the goat in his presence, I'd say that the wolf is well broken-in and might make a good companion. The goat, on the other hand, is just dead weight. (Sure, Cueball could eat her, but that's why he has the cabbage.) <br>[1] Take the cabbage across [2] Return alone [3] Find the goat problem solved--and your friend well-fed [4] Take the wolf across [[Special:Contributions/207.237.164.241|207.237.164.241]] 06:33, 14 November 2012 (UTC)
 ::I am not the only one, then! I like wolves a lot more than goats. Then again, I simply like wolves. [[User:Greyson|Greyson]] ([[User talk:Greyson|talk]]) 03:48, 15 November 2012 (UTC)
 ::::They're like puppies! Except instead of love them, you have to occasionally beat the shit out of them to ensure that they continue to fear and respect you. Oh, and instead of love you back, they sometimes physically challenge your authority over the "pack". But yeah, they're all around awesome. [[Special:Contributions/207.237.164.241|207.237.164.241]] 09:42, 15 November 2012 (UTC)
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 I see this as a play on the common use of “logical” to mean “consistent implicit goals or values,” as oppose to “consistent with the principles of inference” as in formal logic. For example, it's the former usage we see when Spock in Star Trek II says, “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few,” or in Star Trek IV, he says, “To hunt a species to extinction is not logical.” You leave the wolf because it’s not logical to hang around wolves longer than necessary –they’re dangerous. Of course, this usage of “logic” is highly relative and subjective (in contrast to formal logic). As some have argued, wolves are not only logical, but awesome. Title text drills home how subjective and relative this use of “logic” is. It’s not logical to take the cabbage because I don’t like cabbage. But I like goats so they “make sense.” --[[User:Emzed|Emzed]] ([[User talk:Emzed|talk]]) 18:40, 30 November 2012 (UTC)
 Everybody knows the classic wolf, sheep and cabbage problem, but I just realized that this is not same problem! Just read the first panel: you have the constraints that the boat can carry two and you can't leave the goat with the cabbage or the wolf with the goat as in the classic problem, but nowhere is stated that you must reach the other side with the other three! You can just do nothing, or carry the sheep on the other side and go away with the boat...
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 Goats eat cabbage..
 [[Special:Contributions/24.59.184.243|24.59.184.243]] 09:18, 13 January 2013 (UTC)
-Hmm... what is to keep the human from eating the cabbage?
+:Hmm... what is to keep the human from eating the cabbage?
 :Send the wolf with the cabbage across and let the boat drift back, and then have the human go across with the goat. 3 steps. The real challenge of this puzzle is teaching your wolf to paddle the boat across. [[User:Zyxuvius|Zyxuvius]] ([[User talk:Zyxuvius|talk]]) 09:55, 25 October 2013 (UTC)
 Fastest solution: Get the goat in the boat, drop the cabbage in the water, row boat across, periodically pushing the cabbage in the direction of the shore with your oars. 1 step. [[Special:Contributions/199.27.128.150|199.27.128.150]] 04:52, 10 January 2014 (UTC)
-<br>The river isn't that wide. Couldn't you just throw the cabbage across, then return and get the wolf, then return and get the goat? Or just leave the cabbage. [[User:Jake|Jake]] ([[User talk:Jake|talk]]) 14:37, 20 January 2014 (UTC)
+The river isn't that wide. Couldn't you just throw the cabbage across, then return and get the wolf, then return and get the goat? Or just leave the cabbage. [[User:Jake|Jake]] ([[User talk:Jake|talk]]) 14:37, 20 January 2014 (UTC)
-<br>Why wouldn't the wolf eat the cabbage? And why would the cabbage's presence stop the wolf from eating the goat (or does it not stop it)? [[User:Z|Z]] ([[User talk:Z|talk]]) 22:01, 3 August 2014 (UTC)
+Why wouldn't the wolf eat the cabbage? And why would the cabbage's presence stop the wolf from eating the goat (or does it not stop it)? [[User:Z|Z]] ([[User talk:Z|talk]]) 22:01, 3 August 2014 (UTC)
 : Only the humans presence stops the wolf eating the goat, or the goat eating the cabbage. --[[User:Pudder|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder|talk]]) 12:11, 31 October 2014 (UTC)
 I've always heard this as a dog-chicken-corn problem. {{unsigned ip|108.162.216.190}}
 This is the only website I've heard call it "wolf-goat-cabbage". Even wikipedia doesn't call it that anymore. And the trope is http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FoxChickenGrainPuzzle - [[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.58|162.158.214.58]] 04:35, 22 July 2017 (UTC)

← Older revision		Revision as of 04:35, 22 July 2017
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	I've always heard this as a dog-chicken-corn problem. {{unsigned ip\|108.162.216.190}}		I've always heard this as a dog-chicken-corn problem. {{unsigned ip\|108.162.216.190}}
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		+	This is the only website I've heard call it "wolf-goat-cabbage". Even wikipedia doesn't call it that anymore. And the trope is http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/FoxChickenGrainPuzzle - [[Special:Contributions/162.158.214.58\|162.158.214.58]] 04:35, 22 July 2017 (UTC)

← Older revision		Revision as of 08:47, 23 November 2014
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	: Only the humans presence stops the wolf eating the goat, or the goat eating the cabbage. --[[User:Pudder\|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder\|talk]]) 12:11, 31 October 2014 (UTC)		: Only the humans presence stops the wolf eating the goat, or the goat eating the cabbage. --[[User:Pudder\|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder\|talk]]) 12:11, 31 October 2014 (UTC)

−	I've always heard this as a dog-chicken-corn problem.	+	I've always heard this as a dog-chicken-corn problem. {{unsigned ip\|108.162.216.190}}

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	: Only the humans presence stops the wolf eating the goat, or the goat eating the cabbage. --[[User:Pudder\|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder\|talk]]) 12:11, 31 October 2014 (UTC)		: Only the humans presence stops the wolf eating the goat, or the goat eating the cabbage. --[[User:Pudder\|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder\|talk]]) 12:11, 31 October 2014 (UTC)
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		+	I've always heard this as a dog-chicken-corn problem.

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:11, 31 October 2014
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	<br>Why wouldn't the wolf eat the cabbage? And why would the cabbage's presence stop the wolf from eating the goat (or does it not stop it)? [[User:Z\|Z]] ([[User talk:Z\|talk]]) 22:01, 3 August 2014 (UTC)		<br>Why wouldn't the wolf eat the cabbage? And why would the cabbage's presence stop the wolf from eating the goat (or does it not stop it)? [[User:Z\|Z]] ([[User talk:Z\|talk]]) 22:01, 3 August 2014 (UTC)
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		+	: Only the humans presence stops the wolf eating the goat, or the goat eating the cabbage. --[[User:Pudder\|Pudder]] ([[User talk:Pudder\|talk]]) 12:11, 31 October 2014 (UTC)

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:02, 3 August 2014
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	<br>The river isn't that wide. Couldn't you just throw the cabbage across, then return and get the wolf, then return and get the goat? Or just leave the cabbage. [[User:Jake\|Jake]] ([[User talk:Jake\|talk]]) 14:37, 20 January 2014 (UTC)		<br>The river isn't that wide. Couldn't you just throw the cabbage across, then return and get the wolf, then return and get the goat? Or just leave the cabbage. [[User:Jake\|Jake]] ([[User talk:Jake\|talk]]) 14:37, 20 January 2014 (UTC)

−	Why wouldn't the wolf eat the cabbage? And why would the cabbage's presence stop the wolf from eating the goat (or does it not stop it)? [[User:Z\|Z]] ([[User talk:Z\|talk]]) 22:01, 3 August 2014 (UTC)	+
		+	<br>Why wouldn't the wolf eat the cabbage? And why would the cabbage's presence stop the wolf from eating the goat (or does it not stop it)? [[User:Z\|Z]] ([[User talk:Z\|talk]]) 22:01, 3 August 2014 (UTC)

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:01, 3 August 2014
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	<br>The river isn't that wide. Couldn't you just throw the cabbage across, then return and get the wolf, then return and get the goat? Or just leave the cabbage. [[User:Jake\|Jake]] ([[User talk:Jake\|talk]]) 14:37, 20 January 2014 (UTC)		<br>The river isn't that wide. Couldn't you just throw the cabbage across, then return and get the wolf, then return and get the goat? Or just leave the cabbage. [[User:Jake\|Jake]] ([[User talk:Jake\|talk]]) 14:37, 20 January 2014 (UTC)
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		+	Why wouldn't the wolf eat the cabbage? And why would the cabbage's presence stop the wolf from eating the goat (or does it not stop it)? [[User:Z\|Z]] ([[User talk:Z\|talk]]) 22:01, 3 August 2014 (UTC)