Sherlock's Paradox is a
paradox discovered by the
iconographic detective
Sherlock Holmes in a scene from a set of unpublished notes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The notes were put of for auction in 1988 by Conan Doyle's grandson to benefit
NORML.
In the unpublished scene, Holmes and his trusted companion
Dr. Watson are sharing a pipe while in Arabia. The bulk of the conversation revolves around the pipe being made of glass and employing "... a devilishly clever construction by which the pungent smoke is filtered through water ...". Hence the term
sherlock for the type of
water pipe which resembles the regular pipe of
Sherlock Holmes.
The paradox originates in a comment where Holmes remarks that the pipe's
bowl is always better
packed, but the "... most pleasurable of all leisure lies in the exquisite emptying of the bowl." Watson remarks that logically his statement implies that the bowl is always better packed, yet must always be in the process of being smoked. Therefore, if one is to truly enjoy themselves they must remain smoking the "
bowl" indefinitely.
Andrew: Yo man, what happened to you last night? You never came by my place?
Aki: Dude I got so ripped ... got caught up in Sherlock's Paradox with these ill
headies and a box of
Twizzlers.
Andrew: Damn ... you got any left? I got a dutch!
Aki: Nah man ... aw, shit.
