Have you ever heard the argument, “Who came first, chicken or egg?” If the chicken came first, then it shouldn't because there was no egg that could hatch it. If the egg came first, then it shouldn’t because there was no chicken that could lay it.
It all sounds very confusing. That is because it is a paradox. But what exactly is a paradox? And what are some of its examples?
This article defines what a paradox is and provides examples so you can understand this concept better.
What is a paradox?
A paradox is a statement, concept, or situation that may sound contradictory, impossible, and absurd on the surface but may reveal some truth on further inspection.
Definition of paradox
A paradox can be understood as a literary or rhetorical statement that shows the conflict between commonly held beliefs and reality. A paradox can be a phrase, a scenario, or a concept that challenges conventional thinking. And despite its contradictory nature, a paradox may uncover an underlying truth, a prophecy, or the complex nature of certain ideas.
In simple words, paradoxes are statements that don’t make any sense when you first look at them. However, they could be hiding some reality that you’ve yet to understand.
While many continue to debate as to what certain paradoxes allude to, some of them have been resolved and widely understood.
For example, the saying “Less is more" is often used in design and aesthetics to convey the idea that minimal designs can function better than maximal ones. It is an oxymoron that implies that “less” is often better in quality compared to “more.” But without any explanation, it sounds quite confusing as to how “less” being less can be “more” when the two are complete opposites.
Paradox examples
Here are some popular examples of paradoxes to get yourself familiar with:
- The liar paradox. "This statement is false" is one of the classic examples of a paradox. If the statement is true, then it must be false. But if it’s false, then it must be true. This paradox is a loop that defies a straightforward interpretation. Come to think of it, how can a statement be true and false at the same time?
- The barber paradox. This paradox is as follows: “A barber is defined as someone who shaves all those — and only those — who do not shave themselves. Now, does the barber shave himself? If he does, he must not shave himself, but if he doesn’t, he must shave himself.
- The paradox of thrift. The paradox of thrift, which is a paradox of economics, suggests that if every individual saves more money and spends less of it, their total savings may decrease because the economy will decline. So, while saving money is considered a good thing, if every person were to practice it more than usual, the cause would affect itself, and the total savings of the individuals would start to decline.
- The ship of Theseus. This is an ancient philosophical paradox that questions the change of identity over time. If we repair a ship piece by piece until all of them are replaced, is it still the same ship?
Types of paradoxes
Many different types of paradoxes have been uncovered, with some being relatively easy to comprehend compared to others, which can be mind-boggling. Here’s a list of different types of paradoxes, with one example each:
- Logical paradoxes. The Liar Paradox: "This statement is false."
- Epistemological paradoxes. The Paradox of the Unexpected Examination: "The teacher announces there will be a surprise exam next week."
- Ethical paradoxes. The Trolley Problem: "Is it ethical to pull a lever to save five people but kill one?"
- Set theory paradoxes. Russell's Paradox: "The set of all sets that do not contain themselves."
- Infinity paradoxes. Hilbert's Hotel: "A hotel with infinitely many rooms can still accommodate more guests, even when full."
- Probability paradoxes. The Monty Hall Problem: "Switching doors in a game show increases your chances of winning."
- Quantum paradoxes. Schrödinger's Cat: "A cat in a box can be both alive and dead until observed."
- Relativity paradoxes. The Twin Paradox: "One twin ages slower when travelling at near-light speeds."
- Economic paradoxes. The Paradox of Thrift: "If everyone saves more, total savings may decrease due to reduced spending."
- Voting paradoxes. Condorcet Paradox: "A majority prefers A over B, B over C, but C over A."
- Utility and rationality paradoxes. The Allais Paradox: "People's choices violate the expected utility theory."
- Verbal and literary paradoxes. "I can resist anything except temptation." (Oscar Wilde)
- Self-referential paradoxes. The Barber Paradox: "A barber who shaves all those who do not shave themselves."
- Behavioural paradoxes. Cognitive Dissonance: "Holding two conflicting beliefs leads to discomfort."
- Perceptual paradoxes. The Müller-Lyer Illusion: "Two lines of the same length appear different due to arrowheads."
- Political paradoxes. Arrow's Impossibility Theorem: "No voting system can perfectly translate individual preferences into a collective decision."
- Social paradoxes. The Paradox of Tolerance: "A tolerant society should tolerate intolerance."
- Cultural paradoxes. The Individuality-Conformity Paradox: "Valuing individuality leads to conformity in the pursuit of being unique."
- Computational paradoxes. The Halting Problem: "It is impossible to determine if some programs will eventually stop running."
- Artificial intelligence paradoxes. The AI Alignment Problem: "Ensuring AI behaves according to human values is inherently complex.
Understanding paradoxes
Paradoxes can be a complex topic of discussion and are studied in various fields, including science (such as mathematics, physics, and computers), economics, literature and linguistics, psychology, political science, sociology, and philosophy.
Conclusion
In conclusion, a paradox is a self-contradictory statement in rhetoric and literature that may reveal some truth when deeply understood. The article also provides examples of some of the popular paradoxes.
