Here’s what each person is doing:
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Person 1 – Sitting on the branch while Person 2 is sawing it off behind him. He is in danger but not causing it.
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Person 2 – Actively sawing the branch on which both he and Person 1 are sitting. When the branch falls, he also falls.
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Person 3 – Sawing the main trunk while he is sitting on a branch attached to it. If he succeeds, he falls along with the whole branch.
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Person 4 – Sawing the branch he himself is sitting on, guaranteeing that he will fall as soon as he finishes cutting.
So who is the “most stupid”?
Most people conclude that Person 4 is the most foolish, because he is directly cutting the branch he is sitting on and is guaranteed to fall immediately.
However, a strong case can also be made for Person 2, because he’s cutting a branch that will make two people fall—including himself.
Common interpretation:
👉 Person 4 is usually considered the “most stupid.”
