4 ms·

I'm surprised more people didn't recognize the two generals problem.

nkmnz 5y ago
It’s not the two generals problem because you can be sure that your companion gets the message (both literally a d figuratively). The two generals problem is about inherent uncertainty, while the given problem has full transparency.
- josephcsible 5y ago
  But isn't that exactly what the "Pigeon variation" the article mentions is?
Someone 5y ago
FTA: We had used these puzzles in our admissions interviews of candidates for a place at Oxford University in the degree courses Math/philosophy, CS/philosophy, and PPE at University College, Oxford I’m not familiar with the term “degree course”, but suspect the candidates were bright, but also around 18 years old.
- thaumasiotes 5y ago
  I'm guessing "degree course" means "degree".
  - Someone 5y ago
    That’s clear, yes, but it could be bachelor’s, masters, or Ph.D. Form those, bachelor’s to me, seemed the most likely by a wide margin, but I donn’t know whether the British educational system has its quirks. Especially in the likes of Oxford and Cambridge, that doesn’t seem unlikely to me.
    - gnufx 5y ago
      I think you can assume this is for first degrees, mostly for candidates at, or recently at, school. As far as I know, PPE is only an undergraduate course, and DPhil (PhD) wouldn't be a "course". https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses-listing/philosophy-politics-and-economics https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses-listin... [Fairly early in the pandemic, satirical organ Private Eye had an item on the cabinet(?) discussing the disastrous lack of PPE. Even the prime minister only did Greats, and some of the cabinet didn't even go to Oxford.]
  - jameshart 5y ago
    More precisely, a course of study which leads to a degree
    - thaumasiotes 5y ago
      Right, the word for that course of study is "degree". (Also "major".) The word for a certificate that is kind of like a degree, but without the course of study, is "honorary degree".
tylerhou 5y ago
These are probably admissions for high schoolers.

It’s not the two generals problem because you can be sure that your companion gets the message (both literally a d figuratively). The two generals problem is about inherent uncertainty, while the given problem has full transparency.

josephcsible 5y ago
But isn't that exactly what the "Pigeon variation" the article mentions is?

Someone 5y ago

FTA: We had used these puzzles in our admissions interviews of candidates for a place at Oxford University in the degree courses Math/philosophy, CS/philosophy, and PPE at University College, Oxford I’m not familiar with the term “degree course”, but suspect the candidates were bright, but also around 18 years old.

thaumasiotes 5y ago
I'm guessing "degree course" means "degree".
- Someone 5y ago
  That’s clear, yes, but it could be bachelor’s, masters, or Ph.D. Form those, bachelor’s to me, seemed the most likely by a wide margin, but I donn’t know whether the British educational system has its quirks. Especially in the likes of Oxford and Cambridge, that doesn’t seem unlikely to me.
  - gnufx 5y ago
    I think you can assume this is for first degrees, mostly for candidates at, or recently at, school. As far as I know, PPE is only an undergraduate course, and DPhil (PhD) wouldn't be a "course". https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses-listing/philosophy-politics-and-economics https://www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/courses-listin... [Fairly early in the pandemic, satirical organ Private Eye had an item on the cabinet(?) discussing the disastrous lack of PPE. Even the prime minister only did Greats, and some of the cabinet didn't even go to Oxford.]
- jameshart 5y ago
  More precisely, a course of study which leads to a degree
  - thaumasiotes 5y ago
    Right, the word for that course of study is "degree". (Also "major".) The word for a certificate that is kind of like a degree, but without the course of study, is "honorary degree".

tylerhou 5y ago

These are probably admissions for high schoolers.