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What exactly is a paradox?

What exactly is a paradox?

1 : a tenet contrary to received opinion. 2a : a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true. b : a self-contradictory statement that at first seems true. c : an argument that apparently derives self-contradictory conclusions by valid deduction from acceptable premises.

What is the purpose of a paradox?

Paradox, apparently self-contradictory statement, the underlying meaning of which is revealed only by careful scrutiny. The purpose of a paradox is to arrest attention and provoke fresh thought. The statement “Less is more” is an example.

What is the ultimate paradox?

In philosophy But one must not think ill of the paradox, for the paradox is the passion of thought, and the thinker without the paradox is like the lover without passion: a mediocre fellow. This, then, is the ultimate paradox of thought: to want to discover something that thought itself cannot think.

What is a paradox for dummies?

A paradox is a statement that seems to contradict itself, or seems to go against itself, but may contain a basic or underlying truth when examined more closely. A paradox may be thought of as working against common sense but seems to be true, or state a truth. When a phrase is a paradox, we say it is paradoxical.

What is an example of paradox?

An example of a paradox is “Waking is dreaming”. A paradox is a figure of speech in which a statement appears to contradict itself. This type of statement can be described as paradoxical. A compressed paradox comprised of just a few words is called an oxymoron.

What is a famous paradox?

10 Paradoxes That Will Boggle Your Mind

  • ACHILLES AND THE TORTOISE.
  • THE BOOTSTRAP PARADOX.
  • THE BOY OR GIRL PARADOX.
  • THE CARD PARADOX.
  • THE CROCODILE PARADOX.
  • THE DICHOTOMY PARADOX.
  • THE FLETCHER’S PARADOX.
  • GALILEO’S PARADOX OF THE INFINITE.

What are some examples of a paradox?

Here are some thought-provoking paradox examples:

  • Save money by spending it.
  • If I know one thing, it’s that I know nothing.
  • This is the beginning of the end.
  • Deep down, you’re really shallow.
  • I’m a compulsive liar.
  • “Men work together whether they work together or apart.” – Robert Frost.

What is a good sentence for paradox?

(1) The facts pose something of a paradox. (2) It’s a paradox that in such a rich country there can be so much poverty. (3) It is a curious paradox that professional comedians often have unhappy personal lives. (4) The paradox is that the region’s most dynamic economies have the most primitive financial systems.

What is the best paradox?

10 Paradoxes That Will Boggle Your Mind

  • THE BOY OR GIRL PARADOX.
  • THE CARD PARADOX.
  • THE CROCODILE PARADOX.
  • THE DICHOTOMY PARADOX.
  • THE FLETCHER’S PARADOX.
  • GALILEO’S PARADOX OF THE INFINITE.
  • THE POTATO PARADOX.
  • THE RAVEN PARADOX.

What are the most famous paradox?

Russell’s paradox is the most famous of the logical or set-theoretical paradoxes. Also known as the Russell-Zermelo paradox, the paradox arises within naïve set theory by considering the set of all sets that are not members of themselves.

What are examples of a paradox?

What does paradox mean in English?

Definition of paradox. 1 : a tenet contrary to received opinion. 2a : a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true.

What is a paradox phrase?

A paradox is a statement that seems to contradict itself because it combines words or ideas that are opposites. Even though the phrase seems to contradict itself, it makes sense in the context of what the speaker or writer is trying to convey.

What is a paradox mean?

par·a·dox. n. 1. A statement that seems to contradict itself but may nonetheless be true: the paradox that standing is more tiring than walking. 2. A person, thing, or situation that exhibits inexplicable or contradictory aspects: “The silence of midnight, to speak truly, though apparently a paradox, rung in my ears” (Mary Shelley ).

What is Dictionary paradox?

Paradox Definition. The term paradox is from the Greek word paradoxon , which means “contrary to expectations, existing belief, or perceived opinion.”. It is a statement that appears to be self-contradictory or silly, but which may include a latent truth.