Agency Dictionary
Paradox
nounPronunciation: /ˈpær.ə.dɒks/
In Portuguese: Paradoxo
Philosophy & EthicsWhat does “Paradox” mean?
A statement, situation, or person that appears contradictory or absurd yet may reveal a deeper underlying truth.
Etymology
From Middle French paradoxe, from Latin paradoxum, from Greek paradoxon (unexpected, contrary to expectation), formed from para (beyond, contrary to) and doxa (opinion, belief). The word names a statement or situation that appears contradictory or absurd but may contain or reveal a deeper truth.
Usage note
A paradox is not simply a contradiction: its interest lies in the fact that the tension between its apparent parts may point to something true. It differs from an oxymoron, which combines two contradictory terms in a phrase.
Synonyms
- contradiction
- antinomy
Word family
- paradoxical
- paradoxically
Usage examples
finding the root of a paradox within the subject, we can now attempt a surgical incision
Writing.2 - Aphorisms WHO PICKS THAT NAME FOR A TURTLE? YOU ARE A LIVING PARADOX UNLESS YOU CAN DOUBLE THIS SPEED.
Issue.12 - Semiotics YOU ARE A LIVING PARADOX UNLESS YOU CAN DOUBLE THIS SPEED.
Concepts
- Act of ExistenceThe act of existence is the name the author of the Agency editorial gives, in his own philosophical draft, to existing as something one does and answers for, not…
- Action and Non-ActionAction and non-action represent complementary philosophical states governing human agency, existential responsibility, and systemic intervention within the world. While…
- Association of IdeasThe association of ideas is an epistemological principle stating that human thoughts, mental impressions, and concepts connect systematically through observable…
- AtemporalityAtemporality is the quality of transcending historical time or remaining valid and meaningful across diverse eras. In communication and art, it refers to archetypal…
- Dialectical InquiryDialectical inquiry is a collaborative method of philosophical investigation that uncovers truth through the systematic resolution of opposing viewpoints, contradictions…
- Human NatureHuman nature is the set of traits and tendencies considered common to all human beings. In the Agency editorial, the author's philosophical draft gives it a precise and…
- Is-Ought ProblemThe is-ought problem is an ethical and epistemological principle stating that one cannot logically deduce prescriptive moral obligations merely from descriptive factual…
- State of NatureThe state of nature is a foundational philosophical concept used to hypothesize the human condition prior to the establishment of organized political societies, civil…
- Symbolic AbstractionSymbolic abstraction is the cognitive process of isolating specific elements from a composite work to examine their independent meaning. This approach separates…
- WorldviewA worldview is the comprehensive cognitive framework of foundational beliefs, values, and assumptions through which an individual or cultural group interprets reality and…
- Wu WeiWu wei is a central concept in classical Taoist philosophy denoting purposeful non-action, effortless action, or alignment with the natural flow of the universe. It…
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
- Antithesisnoun
- A person, thing, or concept that represents the direct or exact opposite of another.
- Discursiveadjective
- Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
- Treatisenoun
- A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
- Tangibleadjective
- Perceptible by the sense of touch or capable of being physically grasped and measured in concrete physical reality. It distinguishes concrete material products from virtual or intellectual entities.
- Holisticadjective
- Characterized by the comprehension of parts as intimately interconnected and explicable only in reference to the whole.
- Abyssnoun
- A deep or seemingly bottomless chasm, either in physical geography or metaphorical psychological depth. It evokes feelings of unfathomable emptiness or existential peril.
- aestheticsnoun
- A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, artistic taste, and style.
- Affectnoun
- An expressed or experienced emotion, feeling, or visceral response to a stimulus in psychology and philosophy.
- Agapenoun
- A selfless, unconditional, and altruistic form of love often associated in theology with divine charity.
- Ambiguitynoun
- The quality of being open to more than one interpretation; inexactness or uncertainty of meaning.
Also from these editions: terms
- quotationnoun
- A group of words taken verbatim from a published text or speech and repeated by another author.
- eppur si muoveother
- An Italian phrase meaning and yet it moves. It is used to affirm that a fact remains true no matter who denies it.
- Superfluousadjective
- Exceeding what is sufficient, necessary, or useful.
- Maximnoun
- A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
- verbatimadjective
- In exactly the same words as the original, word for word. Said of a quotation or a transcription that changes nothing.
- clevernessnoun
- The mental quality of being quick-witted, agile, and ingenious in solving specific situational problems.
- Monoclenoun
- A single eyeglass lens designed to correct or enhance vision in one eye, held in place by the facial muscles around the eye socket.
- Pollinationnoun
- The transfer of pollen grains from the male anther to the female stigma of a flower, enabling fertilization and seed production.
- rhetoricnoun
- The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
- literary devicenoun
- A technique that a writer uses to produce a particular effect or to convey meaning, such as metaphor, irony, repetition, quotation or aphorism.
- collective consciousnessnoun
- The set of beliefs, ideas and feelings shared by the members of a society, which exists beyond any single person. By extension, what a community knows and repeats in common.
- Byproductnoun
- A secondary, often unexpected result or incidental creation derived from an ongoing process or effort.
Also from these editions: concepts
- AphorismAn aphorism is a concise, memorable statement that expresses a general truth, ethical principle, or philosophical observation in very few words. Unlike casual sayings, it…
- Visual DecodingVisual decoding is the analytical process of interpreting graphic signs, symbols, and compositions to reveal their underlying communicative intent. By deconstructing…
- Philosophical WisdomPhilosophical wisdom is the integrated capacity to synthesize deep moral understanding, sound ethical judgment, and lived experience in navigation of human life. It…
- Carl JungCarl Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of analytical psychology, known for the archetypes, the collective unconscious and synchronicity. Five editions of the…
- David HumeDavid Hume was a Scottish philosopher, historian and economist, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in Western philosophy. In Writing.2, the article…
- Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci was an Italian artist, engineer and scientist of the Renaissance, the painter of the Mona Lisa. The Agency editorial names him in three editions…
- Aphoristic StyleAphoristic style is a literary mode of writing composed of detached, numbered, or highly condensed statements that convey complex philosophical ideas with striking…
- EphemeralityEphemerality is the philosophical condition of transience, marking entities that exist only briefly before fading or transforming. In aesthetic analysis, it contrasts…
- SophismA sophism is a plausibly phrased argument or line of reasoning that appears logically valid on the surface but contains an underlying intentional fallacy meant to…