[denton-scratch]

> Let n equal 3 if God exists, or 5 if God does not exist. Is n prime?

[Not yet finished the article]

Author says the answer is True. I say the question is malformed, and cannot be answered.

[_flux]

I guess you could reformulate the intent of the problem as:

Let P be an arbitrary program and let n be equal to 3 if P terminates, or 5 if not.

Is it still malformed? Is so, then how about

Let n be equal to 3 Goldbach's conjecture is true, or 5 if not.

[killerstorm]

(A and X) or (A and (not X))

simplifies to A in classic logic.

I guess there's an ambiguity whether "God exists" is a propositional variable.

[hifromwork]

Isn't this the law of excluded middle (rejected by intuitionists and constructivists)?

[mrkeen]

Let n equal 3 if LEM is valid & sound, or 5 if LEM isn't valid & sound. Is n prime?

[IanCal]

Why can't it be answered? It seems trivial to answer.

[denton-scratch]

The question is malformed because it contains a term that cannot be evaluated.