Paradox! My 11 year old grand daughter called me tonight and asked if I could
By estherlou
@estherlou (5015)
United States
December 7, 2006 9:29pm CST
use the word 'paradox' in a sentence for a school assignment. It started a family "game" with us calling members of the family back and forth and trying to come up with a worthwhile sentence. My sister said, "No one in our family can write a sentence using the word paradox." LOL My daughter said, "If you were able to change your past, affecting your present, you would create a paradox that would affect many lives". Wow! Sounds profound, huh? My granddaughter thought it was "too complicated". LOL Can anyone explain to me what exactly a paradox is? As a sci fi buff, I've heard of it, but to actually be able to explain it....well...ha!
4 people like this
5 responses
@redyellowblackdog (10629)
• United States
28 Mar 07
A paradox occurs when there is a logical inconsistency. That is, you have 2 known things, both believed to be true, yet, one of them disproves the other.
On the surface it seems that both facts can not possibly be true, yet it seems they are.
A famous example is the Fermi paradox.
The 2 contradictory facts are:
1) Given the trillions upon trillions of stars and solar systems in the universe, the odds of there being other intelligent life seems rather high.
2) In spite of mankind's most diligent high tech efforts to discover other intelligent life there is no evidence that it exists.
Anyway, I hope this helps with understanding the nature of what is a paradox.
2 people like this
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
29 Mar 07
Yes, she did figure out a sentence and an example of a paradox, but silly me...I've forgotten what it was. She lives in another state and it seems as if we were talking together, while mom was helping in the background and then I asked my daughter to help also...so can't remember which route they went. Much more simple, I'm sure than redyellowblackdog's answer! LOL
@Lydia1901 (16351)
• United States
8 Dec 06
Paradox is a funny word, hard to explain. But, according to the dictionary it's "a tenet contrary to received opinion", hope that helps.
@estherlou (5015)
• United States
28 Mar 07
You know, I'm not sure what tenet means...perhaps an idea contrary to perceived opinion?
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
29 Mar 07
.. my webster-merrium dictionary says "contrary to common sense, but may be true anyway"
@flowerchilde (12529)
• United States
29 Mar 07
Well, being a real bible buff, I think of paradox kind of like this: God is in control of life. But He ain't! So I guess to me it's opposites.. In this case, He's all powerful, so in control, but he gave free-will (or rather thinking ability) and is letting it run its course (or else it's not 'free-will') - so he's not in control of the world.. yet he is. Paradox.
:))
@2timothy (794)
• Philippines
28 Mar 07
Love is a paradox, an agonizing mystery which has no solution. It spurs the hearts into action, yet does not console it when broken. It promises a lifetime, yet delivers only a moment.
It is a timeless paradox: the hope for true love, yet the realization that we may never find it. The desire to possess a noble love that endures, yet the inability to guarantee it will last.
www.gogeneration.com/v1iss2.htm
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
29 Mar 07
I love the idea you came up with as it really was a good idea , too bad it hadn't worked out better .
That is a really hard word and although I am generally good in English I am not even sure what that word means and I even asked my husband and he is not sure either . I know I have heard it before but can't put it in a sentence . Lol imagine all of adults trying to help a child in school and she will come up with the answer before any of us :)
1 person likes this
