# People who must exist by definition, but you can never find: Who interests you most? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 25, 2026, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000 "2026-01-25T09:38:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/81 "2026-01-26T18:33:56Z")
A mind that can fully comprehend any given system must, itself, be more complicated than the system that it’s comprehending. If the system is “everything”, then the mind must itself be part of the system, and so full comprehension is impossible. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/82 "2026-01-26T18:43:12Z")
Back in 1978, local papers used to try to find the person in town who had seen _Star Wars_ the most times. Don’t remember how strict the criteria for proof were-- I’m thinking “not very.” But I read an article about a kid in PA who’d seen the film more than 100 times, and saved all his ticket stubs. There was a picture with the article. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/83 "2026-01-26T18:49:45Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > Bobby (Mike Lookinland) is a ringer - they dyed his hair dark Hmmm. IIRC, he was a natural redhead. I guess he could have been on either team. Susan Olsen wasn’t a natural, bright-yellow, blonde, although I’m not sure how dark her hair was-- but maybe she could have played for both as well. Supposedly, Sherwood Schwartz fell in love with her at her audition, and told all the other “Cindys” waiting to go home. Maybe they were planning to use her either way. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/84 "2026-01-26T18:52:57Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > I’ve been rear-ended 6 times now. That’s the highest number among anyone I know. Obviously there’s a person who’s been hit 7 times. And 8, 9, etc. > > Somewhere there’s a (non-commercial) driver who has the highest number of not-at-fault accidents in the world. I wonder who they are and what the number is. This leads us to the question of whether there is someone who is The Unluckiest Person In The World (probably a constantly changing name as such a person probably doesn’t live a long life). And conversely, there should be someone who is The Luckiest Person In The World (AKA Teela Brown) ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/85 "2026-01-26T19:07:33Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > This leads us to the question of whether there is someone who is The Unluckiest Person In The World (probably a constantly changing name as such a person probably doesn’t live a long life). Adolphe Sax, inventor of the saxophone, survived _many_ brushes with death at a young age. While he was alive, he woulda been a contender. > **[Adolphe Sax](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolphe_Sax)** > > Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}French: \[ɑ̃twan ʒozɛf adɔlf saks\]; 6 November 1814 – 7 February 1894)\[a\] was a Belgian inventor and musician who invented the saxophone in the early 1840s, patenting it in 1846. He also invented the saxotromba, saxhorn and saxtuba, and redesigned the bass clarinet in a ... ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/86 "2026-01-26T21:57:23Z")
Clearly the universe was trying to avoid saxophones to be inflicted on humanity, but it didn’t work….. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/87 "2026-01-26T22:21:22Z")
But any man who fought the Universe and won … is a man to be reckoned with. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/88 "2026-01-26T22:31:39Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > This leads us to the question of whether there is someone who is The Unluckiest Person In The World (probably a constantly changing name as such a person probably doesn’t live a long life). How about the guy who was struck by lightning 7 times? > **[Roy Sullivan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Sullivan)** > > Roy Cleveland Sullivan (February 7, 1912 – September 28, 1983) was an American park ranger in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Between 1942 and 1977, Sullivan was claimed to have been struck by lightning on seven occasions, surviving all of them. For this reason, he gained the nicknames "Human Lightning Conductor" and "Human Lightning Rod". Sullivan is recognized by Guinness World Records as the person struck by lightning more recorded times than any other human being. > Roy was born in ... ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/89 "2026-01-26T22:54:55Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I’m calling Cecil Adams. > > If he’ll pick his phone up. He’s dead, Jim… ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2026, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/90 "2026-01-26T23:29:36Z")
I’m sure someone knows what group recorded the zydeco-esque version of “Who Wrote The Book Of Love” that I taped off the radio back in the mid-80s. I’ve had no luck using things like Shazam or asking on message boards. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/91 "2026-01-27T02:08:07Z")
> [@JoseB](#): > > Clearly the universe was trying to avoid saxophones to be inflicted on humanity, but it didn’t work….. They are needed as this will prove [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_Yy3hzpO7u0/maxresdefault.jpg "Saxophones") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Yy3hzpO7u0) ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/92 "2026-01-27T02:47:23Z")
“THAT” guy… ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/93 "2026-01-27T02:57:08Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > probably see less than one movie in a typical year. In the last 25 years, I’ve certainly seen fewer than 25 movies It would be easy to find people who never watch movies at all, or who see them very seldom. There are probably also quite a few who average out to one per year. But a person who sees exactly one movie per year is another thing entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/94 "2026-01-27T03:01:23Z")
The trailers for Disney’s _Brother Bear_ made the obvious joke: “Wait, if they only see one movie this year, isn’t it the one they’re about to see?” ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/95 "2026-01-27T03:38:47Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > It would be easy to find people who never watch movies at all, or who see them very seldom. There are probably also quite a few who average out to one per year. But a person who sees exactly one movie per year is another thing entirely. But that is not what the post I was replying to was about. It was about the target of “if you only watch one movie per year” and yes one of zero would qualify. Actually for several years I watched exactly one (feature length) movie per year, on Christmas night. It was a tradition in our siblings and it survived well into adulthood. We’d go to our parents place for Christmas lunch, hang out for a few hours then go to a movie. Unless you count planetarium shows and IMAX documentaries as movies. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/96 "2026-01-27T07:54:59Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > A mind that can fully comprehend any given system must, itself, be more complicated than the system that it’s comprehending. I’ve heard this claim but I’m not sure I buy it. This kind of reasoning would lead one to conclude that a computer program that prints a copy of itself is impossible, which is false. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/97 "2026-01-27T10:22:06Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > > [@Chronos](#): > > > > A mind that can fully comprehend any given system must, itself, be more complicated than the system that it’s comprehending. > > I’ve heard this claim but I’m not sure I buy it. This kind of reasoning would lead one to conclude that a computer program that prints a copy of itself is impossible, which is false.   A computer program being able to print a copy of itself in some form is trivial and has nothing to do with comprehension. One might engage in philosophical arguments about exactly what “comprehension” means, but basically I think the original statement is correct. ---
**Author:** ![eburacum45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eburacum45/32/8690_2.png) [@eburacum45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eburacum45)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/98 "2026-01-27T11:11:51Z")
There might be a different definition of ‘comprehension’ that thinks it understands the situation fully, but doesn’t really. A kind of Dunning-Kruger comprehension where you might only have the faintest idea of what is going on. In the real world, that probably the best we can ever hope for; misplaced confidence. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/99 "2026-01-27T12:04:58Z")
On the other hand, computer programs can’t, in general, determine whether they will terminate. Strictly speaking, Turing’s theorem applied to computers with infinite memory, which is unrealistic. For a computer with finite memory, it’s possible for a finite computer program to determine if a program running on that computer will terminate… but the program that does that would require more memory than was allocated to the original program. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2026, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000/100 "2026-01-27T13:30:42Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > > [@Chronos](#): > > > > A mind that can fully comprehend any given system must, itself, be more complicated than the system that it’s comprehending. > > I’ve heard this claim but I’m not sure I buy it. This kind of reasoning would lead one to conclude that a computer program that prints a copy of itself is impossible, which is false. IMO not quite. Because the “system” that does the printing incorporates a lot more than the source code of the program that gets printed. OTOH if you could write a program that “printed” a complete process for creating its own hardware, created that hardware, and its power supply, and OS, and compiler / interpreter, and itself, _now_ you’d have a Gödel-complete system. Hugely greater degree of difficulty in the latter task vs a mere quine. Impossibly huger. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-must-exist-by-definition-but-you-can-never-find-who-interests-you-most/1027000.md?page=6)