Tuesday, October 11, 2011

What is a paradox?

par·a·dox

[par-uh-doks] Show IPA
noun
1.
a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.
2.
a self-contradictory and false proposition.
3.
any person, thing, or situation exhibiting an apparently contradictory nature.
4.
an opinion or statement contrary to commonly accepted opinion.
 
 
 

1 comment:

  1. In "The Essay Connection" on page 77, Tim O'Brien displays examples of paradox in his essay, "How to Tell a True War Story."
    Page 82 p 45:
    "proximity to death brings with it a corresponding proximity to life."
    And..
    "you're never more alive than when you're almost dead."
    Also..
    Page 82 p 46:
    "The old rules are no longer binding, the old truths no longer true. Right spills over into wrong. Order blends into chaos, love into hate, ugliness into beauty,law into anarchy, civility into savagery."
    I really thought this was a great example of paradox, and wanted to share it.

    ReplyDelete