Buttered cat paradox

Buttered Cat Paradox

The Buttered Cat Paradox is a humorous paradox that is based on two popular adages: "A cat always lands on its feet" and "Buttered toast always lands buttered side down". The paradox arises when one considers what would happen if a piece of buttered toast were attached, buttered side up, to the back of a cat, then dropped.

Origins

The origins of the Buttered Cat Paradox are somewhat unclear, but it is often attributed to the writer Robert A. Heinlein, who mentioned a similar concept in his 1988 novel The Cat Who Walks Through Walls. However, the paradox in its current form appears to have originated from a joke that was circulated on the internet in the early 1990s.

Physics and the Paradox

The Buttered Cat Paradox is often used as a humorous example of the conflict between two well-established principles. According to the law of gravity, both the cat and the toast should fall towards the ground. However, the law of Murphy, a popular adage that states "anything that can go wrong, will go wrong", suggests that the toast will land buttered side down, while the cat righting reflex suggests that the cat will land on its feet.

In Popular Culture

The Buttered Cat Paradox has been referenced in various forms of media, including television shows, books, and internet memes. It has also been the subject of several scientific and philosophical discussions, often used as a humorous way to illustrate complex concepts or paradoxes.

See Also

• Murphy's law
• Cat righting reflex
• Paradox
• Robert A. Heinlein