Kettle logic

Biological Parallel

Batesian mimics employ contradictory defenses: "I'm toxic" (aposematic coloration mimicking genuinely poisonous species), "I'm not worth eating" (startle displays), "I'm not even here" (crypsis when stationary). Cuttlefish cycle through incompatible signals—cryptic camouflage, then bold warning patterns, then ink-jet escape—because predators with different hunting modes (ambush vs. pursuit vs. visual search) can't exploit all vulnerabilities simultaneously. Multiple contradictory strategies succeed when opponents face impossible optimization problems.