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Paradoxes | The Philosophy Student

In 2002, I learnt about paradoxes.

This is content from a book called, Vicious Circles & Infinity – An Anthology of Paradoxes by Patrick Hughes & George Brecht.

To start off, they explain that there are self-referential propositions, contradictory propositions, self-contradiction propositions which are not paradoxes & other forms of self-reference & contradiction of a “stronger” kind which approach the paradoxical state.

Example of a Self-Referential Proposition =

This sentence has five words.

Example of a Contradictory Proposition =

Round square.

Example of a Self-Contradiction Proposition =

This sentence has six words.

Here’s an example of the Self-referential & Contradiction that heads toward a paradox =

Please ignore this notice.

So, to do what this notice says, you mustn’t have done it.

However paradoxical, this one isn’t a paradox. A paradox has the self-reference and contradiction but it also contains a third factor = vicious circularity.

‘Please ignore this notice,’ goes round, but it doesn’t continue going round.

Other examples of this kind of paradoxical propositions are =

All rules have exceptions.

In principle, I am against principles – Tristan Tzara

No general proposition is worth a damn! – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Never say never.

Check this out =

How can a witness reply to a lawyer who says = “Please answer yes or no to the following question: will the next word you speak be ‘no’?

If he answers ‘yes’ – it contradicts it.

If he answers ‘no’ – it contradicts it.

Other examples of this kind of ‘not quite paradoxes’ =

All generalisations are dangerous, even this one. – Dumas Fils

It is forbidden to forbid.

FULL PARADOX =

The Barber of Melbourne:

A man of Melbourne, Australia is shaved by the barber of Melbourne if & only if the man does not shave himself.

Does the barber of Melbourne shave himself?

If he does, he doesn’t & if he doesn’t, he does.

I’ll leave you with this =

The Liar Paradox:

Eubulides, an ancient Greek philosopher invented the liar paradox.

A Cretan says, “All Cretans are liars.”

If he is telling the truth, he is lying.

If he is lying, he is telling the truth…

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