Single Idea 6566

[catalogued under 2. Reason / B. Laws of Thought / 3. Non-Contradiction]

Full Idea

When a contradiction appears, we say: "I didn't mean it like that"; the civil status of a contradiction, or its status in civil life: there is the philosophical problem.

Gist of Idea

The problem is to explain the role of contradiction in social life

Source

Ludwig Wittgenstein (Philosophical Investigations [1952], §125), quoted by Robert Fogelin - Walking the Tightrope of Reason Ch.2

Book Reference

Fogelin,Robert: 'Walking the Tightrope of Reason' [OUP 2004], p.40


A Reaction

The point is that logical concepts such as contradiction are conventional, and not all-or-nothing, so we might agree that you didn't really contradict yourself (when perhaps you uttered a witty ironic paradox). I don't see the problem as philosophical.