paradox
English
Etymology
From Middle French paradoxe, from Latin paradoxum, from Ancient Greek παράδοξος (parádoxos, “unexpected, strange”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpæɹ.əˌdɒks/
- (US)
- (Mary–marry–merry distinction) IPA(key): /ˈpæɹ.əˌdɑks/
- (Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA(key): /ˈpɛɹ.əˌdɑks/
Audio (US) (file)
Noun
paradox (plural paradoxes)
- An apparently self-contradictory statement, which can only be true if it is false, and vice versa.
- "This sentence is false" is a paradox.
- 1962, Abraham Wolf, Textbook of Logic, 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.
- 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.
- 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 thing involving contradictory yet interrelated elements that exist simultaneously and persist over time.[1][2]
- A person or thing having contradictory properties.
- He is a paradox; you would not expect him in that political party.
- 1999, Virginia Henley, A Year and a Day, →ISBN, page 315:
- You are a paradox of bitch and angel.
- An unanswerable question or difficult puzzle, particularly one which leads to a deeper truth.
- 1994, James Joseph Pirkl, Transgenerational Design, →ISBN, page 3:
- And only by dismantling our preconceptions of age can we be free to understand the paradox: How young are the old?
-
- (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.
- 1615, Ralph Hamor, A True Discourse of the Present State of Virginia, Richmond 1957, p. 3
- they contended to make that Maxim, that there is no faith to be held with Infidels, a meere and absurd Paradox [...].
-
- (uncountable) The use of counterintuitive or contradictory statements (paradoxes) in speech or writing.
- 1906, Richard Holt Hutton, Brief Literary Criticisms, page 40:
- The need for paradox is no doubt rooted deep in the very nature of the use we make of language.
-
- (uncountable, philosophy) A state in which one is logically compelled to contradict oneself.
- 1866, Edward Poste, Aristotle on Fallacies, Or, The Sophistici Elenchi, translation of original by Aristotle, page 43:
- Thus, like modern disputants, they aimed either to confute the respondent or to land him in paradox.
-
- (uncountable, psychotherapy) 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.
- 1988, Martin Lakin, Ethical Issues in the Psychotherapies, →ISBN, page 103:
- Defiance-based paradox is employed so that the family will actively oppose and deliberately sabotage the prescription.
-
Usage notes
- (self-contradictory statement): A statement which contradicts itself in this fashion is a paradox; two statements which contradict each other are an antinomy.
- (counterintuitive outcome): This use may be considered incorrect or inexact.
- 1995 January 14, Ian Stewart, “Paradox of the Spheres”, in 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, page 270:
- It is not a true paradox, merely highly nonintuitive behavior, if one accepts the realistic and local assumptions of EPR.
-
- (unanswerable question): This use may be considered incorrect or inexact.
- 1917, George Crabb, “ENIGMA, PARADOX, RIDDLE”, in Crabb's English Synonymes, Centennial ed. edition:
- An enigma, therefore, is not a paradox, but a paradox, not being intelligible, may seem like an enigma.
-
Synonyms
- (counterintuitive outcome): shocker (informal)
- (person or thing with contradictory properties): juxtaposition, contradiction
- (unanswerable question): puzzle, quandary, riddle, enigma, koan
- (therapy practice): reverse psychology
Hyponyms
- Achilles paradox
- barber paradox
- Benardete's paradox
- Berry paradox
- Bhartrhari's paradox
- bootstrap paradox
- clock paradox
- Curry's paradox
- d'Alembert's paradox
- Easterlin paradox
- Epimenides paradox
- European paradox
- Girard's paradox
- grandfather paradox
- Grelling-Nelson paradox
- Grim Reaper paradox
- Hawking's paradox
- Hempel's paradox
- information paradox
- Jevons paradox
- liar paradox
- Löb's paradox
- observer's paradox
- Parrondo's paradox
- raven paradox
- Richard's paradox
- Ross-Littlewood paradox
- Russell's paradox
- twin paradox
- Yablo's paradox
- Zeno's paradox
Related terms
- paradoxical
- paradoxically
- paradoxician
- paradoxism
- paradoxling
- paradoxology
- paradoxy
Translations
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References
- Smith, W. K. and Lewis, M. W. (2011). Toward a theory of paradox: A dynamic equilibrium model of organizing. Academy of Management Review, 36, pp. 381-403
- Zhang, Y., Waldman, D. A., Han, Y., and Li, X. (2015). Paradoxical leader behaviors in people management: Antecedents and consequences. Academy of Management Journal, 58, pp. 538-566
Further reading
paradox on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Czech
Noun
paradox m
- paradox
Derived terms
- paradoxní
- paradoxně
Dutch
Etymology
Borrowed from French paradoxe, from Middle French paradoxe, from Latin paradoxum, from Ancient Greek παράδοξος (parádoxos, “unexpected, strange”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˌpaː.raːˈdɔks/
Audio (file) - Hyphenation: pa‧ra‧dox
Noun
paradox m (plural paradoxen, diminutive paradoxje n)
- paradox
Derived terms
- paradoxaal
- tweelingparadox
Descendants
- Afrikaans: paradoks
- → Indonesian: paradoks
German
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Adjective
paradox (strong nominative masculine singular paradoxer, comparative paradoxer, superlative am paradoxesten)
- paradoxical
Declension
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist paradox | sie ist paradox | es ist paradox | sie sind paradox | |
strong declension (without article) | nominative | paradoxer | paradoxe | paradoxes | paradoxe |
genitive | paradoxen | paradoxer | paradoxen | paradoxer | |
dative | paradoxem | paradoxer | paradoxem | paradoxen | |
accusative | paradoxen | paradoxe | paradoxes | paradoxe | |
weak declension (with definite article) | nominative | der paradoxe | die paradoxe | das paradoxe | die paradoxen |
genitive | des paradoxen | der paradoxen | des paradoxen | der paradoxen | |
dative | dem paradoxen | der paradoxen | dem paradoxen | den paradoxen | |
accusative | den paradoxen | die paradoxe | das paradoxe | die paradoxen | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) | nominative | ein paradoxer | eine paradoxe | ein paradoxes | (keine) paradoxen |
genitive | eines paradoxen | einer paradoxen | eines paradoxen | (keiner) paradoxen | |
dative | einem paradoxen | einer paradoxen | einem paradoxen | (keinen) paradoxen | |
accusative | einen paradoxen | eine paradoxe | ein paradoxes | (keine) paradoxen |
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist paradoxer | sie ist paradoxer | es ist paradoxer | sie sind paradoxer | |
strong declension (without article) | nominative | paradoxerer | paradoxere | paradoxeres | paradoxere |
genitive | paradoxeren | paradoxerer | paradoxeren | paradoxerer | |
dative | paradoxerem | paradoxerer | paradoxerem | paradoxeren | |
accusative | paradoxeren | paradoxere | paradoxeres | paradoxere | |
weak declension (with definite article) | nominative | der paradoxere | die paradoxere | das paradoxere | die paradoxeren |
genitive | des paradoxeren | der paradoxeren | des paradoxeren | der paradoxeren | |
dative | dem paradoxeren | der paradoxeren | dem paradoxeren | den paradoxeren | |
accusative | den paradoxeren | die paradoxere | das paradoxere | die paradoxeren | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) | nominative | ein paradoxerer | eine paradoxere | ein paradoxeres | (keine) paradoxeren |
genitive | eines paradoxeren | einer paradoxeren | eines paradoxeren | (keiner) paradoxeren | |
dative | einem paradoxeren | einer paradoxeren | einem paradoxeren | (keinen) paradoxeren | |
accusative | einen paradoxeren | eine paradoxere | ein paradoxeres | (keine) paradoxeren |
number & gender | singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
masculine | feminine | neuter | all genders | ||
predicative | er ist am paradoxesten | sie ist am paradoxesten | es ist am paradoxesten | sie sind am paradoxesten | |
strong declension (without article) | nominative | paradoxester | paradoxeste | paradoxestes | paradoxeste |
genitive | paradoxesten | paradoxester | paradoxesten | paradoxester | |
dative | paradoxestem | paradoxester | paradoxestem | paradoxesten | |
accusative | paradoxesten | paradoxeste | paradoxestes | paradoxeste | |
weak declension (with definite article) | nominative | der paradoxeste | die paradoxeste | das paradoxeste | die paradoxesten |
genitive | des paradoxesten | der paradoxesten | des paradoxesten | der paradoxesten | |
dative | dem paradoxesten | der paradoxesten | dem paradoxesten | den paradoxesten | |
accusative | den paradoxesten | die paradoxeste | das paradoxeste | die paradoxesten | |
mixed declension (with indefinite article) | nominative | ein paradoxester | eine paradoxeste | ein paradoxestes | (keine) paradoxesten |
genitive | eines paradoxesten | einer paradoxesten | eines paradoxesten | (keiner) paradoxesten | |
dative | einem paradoxesten | einer paradoxesten | einem paradoxesten | (keinen) paradoxesten | |
accusative | einen paradoxesten | eine paradoxeste | ein paradoxestes | (keine) paradoxesten |
Related terms
- Paradox
- paradoxerweise
- Paradoxie
- Paradoxon
Further reading
- “paradox” in Duden online
- “paradox” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
Hungarian
Etymology
From German paradox, from Ancient Greek παράδοξος (parádoxos, “unexpected, strange”).[1]
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [ˈpɒrɒdoks]
- Hyphenation: pa‧ra‧dox
- Rhymes: -oks
Adjective
paradox (comparative paradoxabb, superlative legparadoxabb)
- paradoxical (seemingly contradictory but possibly true)
- Synonyms: önellentmondó, képtelen, helytelen
- (rare) paradoxical, awkward, adverse (contrary to common perception)
- Synonyms: szokatlan, meglepő, meghökkentő, visszás, fonák
Declension
Inflection (stem in -o-, back harmony) | ||
---|---|---|
singular | plural | |
nominative | paradox | paradoxok |
accusative | paradoxot | paradoxokat |
dative | paradoxnak | paradoxoknak |
instrumental | paradoxszal | paradoxokkal |
causal-final | paradoxért | paradoxokért |
translative | paradoxszá | paradoxokká |
terminative | paradoxig | paradoxokig |
essive-formal | paradoxként | paradoxokként |
essive-modal | paradoxul | — |
inessive | paradoxban | paradoxokban |
superessive | paradoxon | paradoxokon |
adessive | paradoxnál | paradoxoknál |
illative | paradoxba | paradoxokba |
sublative | paradoxra | paradoxokra |
allative | paradoxhoz | paradoxokhoz |
elative | paradoxból | paradoxokból |
delative | paradoxról | paradoxokról |
ablative | paradoxtól | paradoxoktól |
non-attributive possessive - singular | paradoxé | paradoxoké |
non-attributive possessive - plural | paradoxéi | paradoxokéi |
References
- Tótfalusi, István. Idegenszó-tár: Idegen szavak értelmező és etimológiai szótára (’A Storehouse of Foreign Words: an explanatory and etymological dictionary of foreign words’). Budapest: Tinta Könyvkiadó, 2005. →ISBN
Further reading
- paradox in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (‘The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language’). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN
Romanian
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin paradoxum or Ancient Greek παράδοξος (parádoxos).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [paraˈdoks]
Noun
paradox n (plural paradoxuri)
- paradox
Declension
singular | plural | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
nominative/accusative | (un) paradox | paradoxul | (niște) paradoxuri | paradoxurile |
genitive/dative | (unui) paradox | paradoxului | (unor) paradoxuri | paradoxurilor |
vocative | paradoxule | paradoxurilor |
Derived terms
- paradoxal
Swedish
Noun
paradox c
- paradox
Declension
Declension of paradox | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
Nominative | paradox | paradoxen | paradoxer | paradoxerna |
Genitive | paradox | paradoxens | paradoxers | paradoxernas |
Related terms
- paradoxal
- skenparadox