A professor of philosophy stood before his classroom silently as the last of his students filed in and found their seats. With a number of different items on the table in front of him, he waited motionlessly for the late bell then lifted a large, empty glass beaker over his head for all to see.
Like a magician showing nothing up his sleeve, he panned all corners of the room then placed the beaker back on the table and quietly began filling it with golf balls, one by one.
When finished, he raised the vessel over his head again and spoke. Who among you will tell me this beaker is full? The students, anticipating something, slowly raised their hands looking around at each other. A few answered yes, aloud.
Everyone agreed the beaker was full.
The professor placed the beaker down on the table and quietly continued. He picked up a pail of pebbles and poured them clanging into the glass container as he looked over his glasses at the group. He gave the large container an easy shake and the pebbles dutifully settled into the open spaces around the golf balls. Then he poured in the rest, topping it off.
He raised the beaker filled with golf balls and...