What do you think would happen if an Unstoppable Projectile hit an Unmovable Object?
What the title says.
3
points
Assuming you meant; "What do you think would happen if an unstoppable force met an immovable object," then the answer is a paradox. The problem with the debate proposition is that you've included projectile instead of force, projectiles can change direction, however, an unstoppable force is unidirectional. Side: Paradox
As the unmovable object is unmovable one can assume that it must stay in that position forever. The unstoppable projectile, however, can be moved about and so perhaps the when they come to contact the unmovable object deflects the unstoppable projectile away as then the unmovable object hasn't been moved, and the unstoppable projectile hasn't been stopped (merely diverted). Side: projectile deflected
If the unstoppable projectile had only been merely deflected from the unmovable object, then it wouldn't really be considered an 'unstoppable' projectile at all. What I mean by 'unstoppable projectile' is an impossibly unstoppable force which bears the single, simple yet impossibly ruthless goal to reach Point B, from Point A. So if both object and projectile were ever to collide, there would be no other way for either one to have it's own way as they would contradict each others outcomes. From my personal opinion, I believe that there's a possibility that the projectile may pass through the unmovable object (just so the universe can maintain balance), but we can't be exactly sure. Side: Projectile passes through Object
Well if we think about it in that sense it could still be deflected around as it technically wouldn't be stopped, merely shown a different path. -------> O goal ------------------->O goal ------------------/^O\----------->goal It goes up over the unmovable object over it then continues to its path. Theoretically it hasn't been stopped. Side: projectile deflected
1
point
As gary said, this is a paradox, assuming the unstoppable object moves unstoppably in a straight line, because stop is a vague term. If by stop you mean to cease motion, the unstoppable object would be deflected and continue to move, but if you mean cant be moved from its path, that's a paradox. But personally im gonna go with marvel and say the unstoppable object would win. Side: Paradox
An unstoppable force would not meet an unmovable object. Pretending it's not a paradox (and unstoppable and unmovable are real things), the friction upon approach would slow the moving object creating an intense amount of light and heat, the force would continue it's approach on what would look on a chart like a curve approaching 0 for infinity, always X decimal places closer but never there. If it did get there one or the other premises would be shown to have been incorrect. So this is the only possible answer if we maintain the premise. Side: infinite approach
1
point
The projectile would ricochet off the object, undergoing a change of vector but not of momentum. Therefore the projectile has not stopped; and the object has not moved. Edit I see that is not allowed by the debate creator. Very well. As the majority of the space occupied by both bodies is empty, then the particles within them would have to move past, around and between each other. Videlicet the projectile would pass through the rock, much like a neutrino (and no, there is no fourth dimension involved - it's a facile and unverifiable solution). Side: projectile deflected
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