PARADOX
Thursday, December 29th, 2005
A paradox is an apparently true statement or group of statements that seems to lead to a contradiction or to a situation that defies intuition. Typically, either the statements in question do not really imply the contradiction, the puzzling result is not really a contradiction, or the premises themselves are not all really true (or, cannot all be true together). The recognition of ambiguities, equivocations, and unstated assumptions underlying known paradoxes has led to significant advances in science, philosophy and mathematics.
Examples of paradoxes:
Liar paradox: "This sentence is false."
Petronius‘ paradox: "Moderation in all things. Including moderation."
Smale’s paradox: A sphere can, topologically, be turned inside out.
Buridan’s ass: How can a rational choice be made between two outcomes of equal value?
Paradox of hedonism: When one pursues happiness itself, one is miserable; but, when one pursues something else, one achieves happiness.
Grandfather paradox: You travel back in time and kill your grandfather before he meets your grandmother which precludes your own conception and, therefore, you couldn’t go back in time and kill your grandfather.
Nihilist paradox: If truth does not exist, the statement "truth does not exist" is a truth, thereby proving itself incorrect.
Moore’s paradox: "It’s raining, but I don’t believe that it is."
Diamond-water paradox Why is water cheaper than diamonds, when humans need water to survive, not diamonds?
Glen’s Paradox- " Does the hole of a doughnut exist."
