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Single Idea 16475

[from 'An Inquiry into Meaning and Truth' by Bertrand Russell, in 5. Theory of Logic / L. Paradox / 6. Paradoxes in Language / c. Grelling's paradox ]

Full Idea

A predicate is 'heterological' when it cannot be predicated of itself; thus 'long' is heterological because it is not a long word, but 'short' is homological. So is 'heterological' heterological? Either answer leads to a contradiction.

Gist of Idea

A 'heterological' predicate can't be predicated of itself; so is 'heterological' heterological? Yes=no!

Source

Bertrand Russell (An Inquiry into Meaning and Truth [1940], 5)

Book Reference

Russell,Bertrand: 'An Inquiry into Meaning and Truth' [Penguin 1967], p.75


A Reaction

[Grelling's Paradox] Yes: 'heterological' is heterological because it isn't heterological; No: it isn't, because it is. Russell says we therefore need a hierarchy of languages (types), and the word 'word' is outside the system.