And a paradox that achieved immortal status, to quote Jorge Luis Borges, is the perpetual race of Achilles and the tortoise. Borges succinctly summarised the paradox thus: “Achilles, symbol of speed, has to catch up with the tortoise, symbol of slowness. Achilles runs ten times faster than the tortoise and so gives him a ten-metre advantage. Achilles runs those ten metres, the tortoise one; Achilles runs the metre, the tortoise runs a decimetre; Achilles runs the decimetre, the tortoise runs a centimetre; Achilles runs the centimetre, the tortoise runs a millimetre; Achilles runs the millimetre, the tortoise a tenth of the millimetre, and ad infinitum, so that Achilles can run forever without catching up.”In journalism, the desire and the efforts by editors and designers to give a newspaper the right look, the right feel, and content that is both meaningful and empowering is symbolised by Achilles. If it gives readers a taut copy, then one can confidently say that Achilles is very close to the tortoise.

Source: The Hindu December 03, 2017 18:45 UTC