Zeno’s Paradox – Pure Logic or Seductive Rhetoric?

Abstract

This article presents an engaging and conceptually rich exploration of Zeno’s classical paradox of Achilles and the tortoise, using it as a lens to examine the nature of argumentation in the natural sciences. Through a vivid narrative and accessible mathematical reasoning—including convergent series and the analogy of repeatedly dividing a cake—Thorup shows how an infinite number of events need not correspond to infinite time or duration. The discussion reveals how seemingly sound logical arguments can nevertheless lead to false conclusions when intuitive notions of time, motion, and continuity are applied uncritically. The author examines both mathematical resolutions and more speculative physical interpretations, such as the idea of temporal quantization, as possible ways to dissolve the paradox. Overall, the article serves as a thoughtful reflection on the interplay between logic, mathematics, physics, and rhetoric, highlighting the importance of critical scrutiny in scientific reasoning.