Think About It: When does a heap cease to be a heap?

Question

I have a heap of M&Ms. I mean a HEAP. Like thousands and thousands of M&Ms, green and yellow and red and brown, like a messy rainbow. You come up and take one. Is the heap still a heap?

You tell all your friends that I've got a heap of free M&Ms. They come and take some, one by one, until there is none left. When does my heap of M&Ms cease to be a heap?

Answer 1

When did you notice you didn't have a heap anymore?

The heap ceases to be a heap when you think (notice) there isn't much left anymore. Your heap differs from mine.

Answer 2

The heap problem has been known for a long time in philosophy.



Also called the Sorites paradox.



See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorites_paradox



Solutions tend to be arbitrary and at best a convention agreed upon.

Answer 3

Hey, you do have some very intriguing questions to ask but I can understand you are exploring.



Less than a handful is a no-heap

Answer 4

It's no longer a heap when it's less than a handful.



Yeah. I went there.



Vagueness. Gotta love it. Now define a hole in terms of its essence.

Answer 5

You can't "stack" M&M's into a heap, because they are round.

That is why they sell them in bags.

Answer 6

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