Solution To Three Gods Problem Symbols: Qn refers to the n-th question asked, where n = 1 or 2 or 3; Qn(X) refers to the question

asked in situation or case (X). In other words the n-th question may be dependent upon the scenario induced by the result of asking the (n-1)th question; Gm refers to the m-th God, where m = 1 or 2 or 3; Gc refers to the chaotic God; Gt refers to the truthful God; Gd refers to the deceitful God. Qn Gm refers to the n-th question asked to the m-th God. Solution: Q1 G1: Suppose you are Gt, and further suppose fa means yes and da means no are you Gt? There are three possible outcomes: (A) G1 says fa; (B) G1 says da; and (C) G1 says nothing. (A) occurs when G1 is either Gc or Gt. It is clear why Gt would say fa (for it corresponds to yes which is the truth). Gc would say fa if it was randomly determined to answer the question truthfully. (B) would occur if Gc was randomly determined to answer the question falsely, seeing as da means no. (C) occurs as long as G1 = Gd. This is because Q1 forces Gd to be both deceitful (by hypothesis) and truthful (as a condition for answering the question) thus answering fa violates the former while answering da violates the latter. Thus, no answer is possible for Gd. We have the following situations or cases depending on the scenario: (S1): a response was given (either fa or da as in outcomes (A) and (B)). (S2): a response was not given (as in outcome (C)). (S1) and (S2) encompass the totality of possibilities that the problem can take on after accepting Q1 G1. Thus showing that we can identify all three Gods given either (S1) or (S2) is tantamount to solving the problem. We begin with (S1). Q2(S1) G2: Suppose you are Gt, and further suppose fa means yes and da means no are you Gt? In other words, we repeat the initial question to G2. Based upon our preceding analysis of possible responses to the question we again have a total of two situations: (S11): a response was given. (S12): a response was not given.

Now, lets suppose (S11) occurs; because G1 and G2 both responded, G3 must be Gd (since Gd cannot answer with fa or da). Thus we have identified a God. The final question in this scenario can be set up as follows: Q3(S11) G3=Gd: Suppose fa means yes and da means no Is G2 Gc? If Gd replies fa, then we conclude that G2 is Gt and G1 is Gc. If Gd replies da, then we conclude that G2 is Gc and G1 is Gt. In either case, we have proven (S11). Now, lets suppose (S12) occurs. Since no response was given by G2, we must conclude that G2 = Gd. We simply follow a nearly identical questioning of Gd as executed in situation (S11) in order to deduce the identity of the remaining Gods. We have proven (S12) and thus we have also proven (S1). Now we conclude by analyzing (S2). In this scenario, no response is given by G1, implying that G1=Gd. But, yet again, we utilize the exact same kind of questioning of Gd as in (S11) and (S12). Thus, we may even come to discern the identity of the Gods in only two questions should (S2) be the case. We have proven (S1) and (S2), thus the problem is solved.