paradox
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
See also Paradox
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From Middle French paradoxe and Latin paradoxum, from Ancient Greek παράδοξος (paradoxos), “‘unexpected, strange’”) paradox 1540, from L. paradoxum "paradox, statement seemingly absurd yet really true," from Gk. paradoxon, from neut. of adj. paradoxos "contrary to expectation, incredible," from para- "contrary to" + doxa "opinion." [from etymonline.com]
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
paradox (plural paradoxes)
- (logic) A self-contradictory statement, which can only be true if it is false, and vice versa. transl. usage
- "This sentence is false" is a paradox.
- 1962, Abraham Wolf, Textbook of Logic[1], page 255:
- According to one version of an ancient paradox, an Athenian is supposed to say "I am a liar." It is then argued that if the statement is true, then he is telling the truth, and is therefore not a liar […]
- A counterintuitive conclusion or outcome. usage syn.
- It is an interesting paradox that drinking a lot of water can often make you feel thirsty.
- 1983 May 21, Ronald Reagan, "Presidential Radio Address",
- The most fundamental paradox is that if we're never to use force, we must be prepared to use it and to use it successfully.
- A claim that two apparently contradictory ideas are true. transl.
- Not having a fashion is a fashion; that's a paradox.
- 1879, W. S. Gilbert, “The Pirates of Penzance”, in The Complete Plays of Gilbert and Sullivan, published 1941:
- How quaint the ways of Paradox! / At common sense she gaily mocks! / Though counting in the usual way years twenty-one I've been alive, / Yet reck'ning by my natal day, / Yet reck'ning by my natal day, / I am a little boy of five!
- A person or thing having contradictory properties. syn. transl.
- He is a paradox; you would not expect him in that political party.
- 1999, Virginia Henley, A Year and a Day[2], ISBN 0440222079, page 315:
- You are a paradox of bitch and angel.
- An unanswerable question or difficult puzzle, particularly one which leads to a deeper truth. usage syn.
- 1994, James Joseph Pirkl, Transgenerational Design[3], ISBN 0442010656, page 3:
- And only by dismantling our preconceptions of age can we be free to understand the paradox: How young are the old?
- 1994, James Joseph Pirkl, Transgenerational Design[3], ISBN 0442010656, page 3:
- (obsolete) A statement which is difficult to believe, or which goes against general belief.
- 1594, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act III:
- Ay, truly; for the power of beauty will sooner / transform honesty from what it is to a bawd than the / force of honesty can translate beauty into his / likeness: this was sometime a paradox, but now the / time gives it proof.
- 1594, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act III:
- (literature, rhetoric, uncountable) The use of counterintuitive or contradictory statements (paradoxes) in speech or writing.
- 1906, Richard Holt Hutton, Brief Literary Criticisms[4], page 40:
- The need for paradox is no doubt rooted deep in the very nature of the use we make of language.
- 1906, Richard Holt Hutton, Brief Literary Criticisms[4], page 40:
- (philosophy, uncountable) A state in which one is logically compelled to contradict oneself.
- (psychotherapy, uncountable) The practice of giving instructions that are opposed to the therapist's actual intent, with the intention that the client will disobey or be unable to obey. syn.
- 1988, Martin Lakin, Ethical Issues in the Psychotherapies[6], ISBN 0195044460, page 103:
- Defiance-based paradox is employed so that the family will actively oppose and deliberately sabotage the prescription.
- 1988, Martin Lakin, Ethical Issues in the Psychotherapies[6], ISBN 0195044460, page 103:
[edit] Usage notes
- (self-contradictory statement def. transl.): A statement which contradicts itself in this fashion is a paradox; two statements which contradict each other are an antinomy.
- (counterintuitive outcome def. syn.): This use may be considered incorrect or inexact.
- 1995 January 14, Ian Stewart, “Paradox of the Spheres”, New Scientist:
- Banach and Tarski's theorem (commonly known as the Banach-Tarski paradox, though it is not a true paradox, being counterintuitive rather than self-contradictory) […]
- 1998, Encyclopedia of Applied Physics[7], page 270:
- It is not a true paradox, merely highly nonintuitive behavior, if one accepts the realistic and local assumptions of EPR.
- 1995 January 14, Ian Stewart, “Paradox of the Spheres”, New Scientist:
- (unanswerable question def. syn.): This use may be considered incorrect or inexact.
- 1917, George Crabb, “ENIGMA, PARADOX, RIDDLE”, in Crabb's English Synonymes, Centennial ed.:
- An enigma, therefore, is not a paradox, but a paradox, not being intelligible, may seem like an enigma.
- 1917, George Crabb, “ENIGMA, PARADOX, RIDDLE”, in Crabb's English Synonymes, Centennial ed.:
[edit] Synonyms
- (counterintuitive outcome def. usage): shocker (informal)
- (person or thing with contradictory properties def. transl.): juxtaposition, contradiction
- (unanswerable question def. usage): puzzle, quandary, riddle, enigma, koan
- (therapy practice def.): reverse psychology
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
an apparent contradiction which is nonetheless true def.
[edit] Czech
[edit] Noun
paradox m.
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Dutch
[edit] Noun
paradox m. (plural paradoxen)
[edit] German
[edit] Adjective
paradox
[edit] Related terms
[edit] Romanian
[edit] Etymology
From Latin paradoxum, Greek παράδοξος
[edit] Pronunciation
- IPA: [paraˈdoks]
[edit] Noun
paradox n. (plural paradoxuri)
[edit] Declension
declension of paradox
| singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gender n. | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation |
| Nominative/Accusative | un paradox | paradoxul | nişte paradoxuri | paradoxurile |
| Genitive/Dative | unui paradox | paradoxului | unor paradoxuri | paradoxurilor |
| Vocative | — | — | — | — |
Categories: Tea room | Middle French derivations | Latin derivations | Ancient Greek derivations | English nouns | Logic | Obsolete | Literature | Rhetoric | English uncountable nouns | Philosophy | Psychotherapy | Czech nouns | Czech masculine nouns | Dutch nouns | German adjectives | ro:Latin derivations | ro:Greek derivations | Romanian nouns