DH just asked me this one - let's see what mumsnetters think.....

[RustyBear]

Linda is 31 years old, single, outspoken, and very bright. She majored in philosophy. As a student, she was deeply concerned with issues of discrimination and social justice, and also participated in anti-nuclear demonstrations.

Which is more likely?

(a) Linda is a bank teller.
(b)Linda is a bank teller and is active in the feminist movement.

a

what's a bank teller?

b

???????????

a

or

c. a bank teller and a feminist but not 'active'

b?

a

she is on the dole. she spent years studying for a fist full of degree's but is actually qualified to do nothing.

What else is a? Bank teller and a beauty queen?

Why are the people saying a saying a?

Is this a joke or a philosophical conundrum?

Both equally likely. Why wouldn't they be?

Hang on, is this one of those tricksy lateral thinking puzzles like the one to which the answer is "he was standing on an ice cube..."?

Is there still a feminist movement?

I'm answering it as tricksy question

b but not sure why!

How could you possibly tell from that information?

What's your reasoning funnypeculiar?

a gives less variables than b.
ergo a must be MORE likely

What has being a bank teller got to do with anything. If she is a bank teller than I would think that her level of fanaticism may not be off the scale. I am surprised given the descrption that you don't have option c she is a lesbian

Oh, good thinking funnypeculiar.

Message withdrawn

Aargh you're so clever funnypeculiar. Are you a lawyer? Or a mathematician?

clearly a

It is much more likely that someone would be a bank teller than be a bank teller active in the feminist movement

All the rest is a red herring

The question is not which is more likely given the set of circumstances but which is more likely

(that may be crap but it was my first thought!)

fp eats chocolate for a living. bitch