Paradox (nonfiction)

A paradox is a statement that apparently contradicts itself and yet might be true (or wrong at the same time).

Some logic paradoxes are known to be invalid arguments, but are still valuable in promoting critical thinking.

Some paradoxes have revealed errors in definitions assumed to be rigorous, and have caused axioms of mathematics and logic to be re-examined.

One example is Russell's paradox, which questions whether a "list of all lists that do not contain themselves" would include itself. Bertrand Russell showed that attempts to found set theory on the identification of sets with properties or predicates were flawed.

Fiction cross-reference

• Mathematics

Nonfiction cross-reference

• Axiom (nonfiction)
• EPR paradox (nonfiction)
• Grelling–Nelson paradox (nonfiction)
• Mathematics (nonfiction)
• Raven paradox (nonfiction)
• Russell's paradox (nonfiction)
• St. Petersburg paradox (nonfiction)
• Set theory (nonfiction)
• Unexpected hanging paradox (nonfiction)
• Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language (nonfiction) - Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language is a 1982 book by philosopher of language Saul Kripke, in which he contends that the central argument of Ludwig Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations centers on a devastating rule-following paradox that undermines the possibility of our ever following rules in our use of language.

External links:

• Paradox @ Wikipedia