Thomson's lamp

proper noun

A hypothetical lamp in a philosophical paradox. The lamp is repeatedly turned on and off by means of a switch; at the end of this time period, regarded as the sum of an infinite series of intervals, it seems paradoxically that the lamp cannot be either on or off.

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Meanings

proper noun
  1. human sciencesA hypothetical lamp in a philosophical paradox. The lamp is repeatedly turned on and off by means of a switch; at the end of this time period, regarded as the sum of an infinite series of intervals, it seems paradoxically that the lamp cannot be either on or off.

Origin

The idea was devised in 1954 by British philosopher James F. Thomson.

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Cite this entry
APA

Thomson's lamp. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Thomson's%20lamp

MLA

“Thomson's lamp.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Thomson's%20lamp. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Thomson's lamp,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Thomson's%20lamp.

Source: Thomson's lamp on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.