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        riddles >> what happened >> There is a field
        
(Message started by: Chainsawnoriginal on Jan 24^th, 2005, 6:39am)

Title: There is a field
Post by Chainsawnoriginal on Jan 24^th, 2005, 6:39am

There is a field, through the centre of the field runs a river, over the river is a bridge.
A man is walking through the field. He gets onto the bridge and decides that he wants to jump off.
Where was he when he jumped?

I do not know the answer!! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Title: Re: There is a field
Post by Icarus on Jan 24^th, 2005, 4:24pm

In the air,
by the bridge,
over the river,
in the middle of the field. :)

Title: Re: There is a field
Post by brainscan on Jan 24^th, 2005, 10:19pm

He was on the way home and realized he has forgotten the birthday of his wife. And mostly he has forgotten to buy a present which will lead to serious dispute. So he decides to jump of the bridge. ;D

Title: Re: There is a field
Post by Chainsaw on Jan 25^th, 2005, 12:36am

on 01/24/05 at 16:24:51, Icarus wrote:

In the air,
by the bridge,
over the river,
in the middle of the field. :)

Afraid not, in the air is [/u]after[u] he jumped. Over the river is interesting.

Title: Re: There is a field
Post by Grimbal on Jan 25^th, 2005, 8:59am

I don't know where he was, but he was probably out of his mind.

But yes, the obvious answer is: on the bridge. ???

Title: Re: There is a field
Post by Icarus on Jan 25^th, 2005, 7:41pm

on 01/25/05 at 00:36:40, Chainsaw wrote:

Afraid not, in the air is after he jumped.

That depends on how you interpret the phrase "when he jumped". You are interpreting it to mean the start of the jump. I interpreted it to mean in the middle of the jump.

Title: Re: There is a field
Post by Chainsaw on Jan 26^th, 2005, 12:31am

This is the paradoxical nature of this riddle. I believe the answer to be one of word play, like wise Grimbal's comment about being on the bridge. that is before he jumped.

???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Title: Re: There is a field
Post by Grimbal on Jan 26^th, 2005, 5:31am

Aha! He decided to jump off while on the bridge. He then proceeded to an airfield, fetched his parachute from the club house, boarded the plane, climbed up to 3000 feet and jumped off the airplane.

Title: Re: There is a field
Post by Sir Col on Feb 3^rd, 2005, 11:21am

It is supposed to be a paradox: before he jumped he was on the bridge; after he jumped he was in the air; but, to be philosphically pedantic, when he jumped is meaningless.

A little grammatical analysis explains the root of the difficulty: the word, when, is being used ambiguously. For example, when he was here means, during the time he was here, whereas, when he was leaving means, at the moment he was leaving. In other words it can be used synonymously with during the time or at the moment.

So although jumped is in the past tense, it is unclear if we are referring to the moment as he jumped or during the jump itself; that is, before he hit the ground and his jump was abruptly ended. It is this event that sticks jumped clearly in the past.

Original:
"Where was he when he jumped?"

Compare:
"Where was he during the time he jumped?"
"Where was he at the moment he jumped?"

Title: Re: There is a field
Post by Noke Lieu on Feb 3^rd, 2005, 3:40pm

It was a very large river. On that river, there was a cargo ship.
He climbed up to the control deck- the Bridge. It is floating above the river.
He jumps ship, without permission.
Curiously enough even beofre he lands, he's in hot water...
:P

Title: Re: There is a field
Post by MisatoAeris on Feb 5^th, 2005, 10:04pm

(I'm interpreting this as "Where was he during his jump?")

Well, he was in the air between bridge and field, because to jump off the bridge into the river would be stupid, considering his Armani suit.