paradox

Everyday

1. A statement or idea that seems to contradict itself or seems impossible, but may still be true. tree →
2. A situation that has two opposite facts that both seem to be true. tree →
3. (logic) A puzzle where reasoning leads to an impossible answer, such as "This sentence is false." tree →

In the lessons

In maths, logic and philosophy, famous paradoxes like "This sentence is false" or the time-travel grandfather paradox make you think hard. In everyday life, "the paradox is..." points out something strange: "The more you rush, the slower you go." In olympiad puzzles, paradoxes test careful thinking.

Examples

• "This sentence is false" is a famous paradox. tree →
• It's a paradox that the busiest people often have the most time to help. tree →
• The time machine story had a strange paradox. tree →
• "Less is more" sounds like a paradox. tree →
• Zeno's paradox says a runner can never catch a tortoise, but in real life he does. tree →
• It was a paradox: the more she tried to sleep, the more awake she felt. tree →

Note

Countable: paradox, paradoxes. Adjective: paradoxical. A paradox is not just a contradiction; it is something that seems impossible yet makes you think. In maths, some paradoxes are solved with better ideas, such as infinite sums adding up to a finite number (1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + ... = 1).