[spectraz]

This may at the outset be a trivial question, but I find it interesting since I recently thought a bit about the misconceptions about the terms ‘dilemma’ and ‘contradiction’.

Intuitively I find these two be to seperate terms, however, it sure is easy to understand how these terms can be misused and abused in informal usage. So, do they have anything in common? Or are they totally seperate concepts with a veneer of shared formal properties? To my help I’ll provide the following information from Merriam-Webster & Oxford online dictionaries:

–DILEMMA–

Merriam-Webster:

Origin of LEMMA:

Latin, from Greek lēmma thing taken, assumption, from lambanein to take. First Known Use: 1570

Definition of LEMMA:

1: An auxiliary proposition used in the demonstration of another proposition.

2: The argument or theme of a composition prefixed as a title or introduction; also: the heading or theme of a comment or note on a text.

3: A glossed word or phrase.

Origin of DILEMMA:

Late Latin, from Late Greek dilēmmat-, dilēmma, probably back-formation from Greek dilēmmatos involving two assumptions, from di- + lēmmat-, lēmma assumption — more at lemma. First Known Use: 1523

Definition of DILEMMA:

1: An argument presenting two or more equally conclusive alternatives against an opponent.

2a: A usually undesirable or unpleasant choice

b: A situation involving such a choice ; broadly : predicament

3a: A problem involving a difficult choice

b: A difficult or persistent problem

Oxford Dictionaries

Origin of LEMMA:

Late 16th century: via Latin from Greek lēmma ‘something assumed’; related to lambanein ‘take’

Definition of LEMMA:

noun (plural lemmas or lemmata /-mətə/)

1a Subsidiary or intermediate theorem in an argument or proof: they give every last lemma of neoclassical theory the status of Holy Writ.

2a Heading indicating the subject or argument of a literary composition or annotation.

3a Word or phrase defined in a dictionary or entered in a word list.

Origin of DILEMMA:

Early 16th century (denoting a form of argument involving a choice between equally unfavourable alternatives): via Latin from Greek dilēmma, from di- ‘twice’ + lēmma ‘premise’

Definition of DILEMMA:

noun

A situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially ones that are equally undesirable:
he wants to make money, but he also disapproves of it: Den’s dilemma in a nutshell

A difficult situation or problem: the insoluble dilemma of adolescence

Logic an argument forcing an opponent to choose either of two unfavourable alternatives.

–Contradiction–

Merriam-Webster:

Origin of CONTRADICTION:

14th century.

Definition of CONTRADICTION:

1: Act or an instance of contradicting

2a : A proposition, statement, or phrase that asserts or implies both the truth and falsity of something

b: A statement or phrase whose parts contradict each other

3a : Logical incongruity

b: A situation in which inherent factors, actions, or propositions are inconsistent or contrary to one another

Oxford Dictionaries

Origin of CONTRADICTION:

Late Middle English: via Old French from Latin contradictio(n-), from the verb contradicere (see contradict)

Definition of CONTRADICTION:

noun

A combination of statements, ideas, or features which are opposed to one another:
the proposed new system suffers from a set of internal contradictions

A situation in which inconsistent elements are present:
the paradox of using force to overcome force is a real contradiction

[mass noun] the statement of a position opposite to one already made:
the second sentence appears to be in flat contradiction of the first

[count noun]: the experiment provides a contradiction of the hypothesis

—CONCLUSION–

Informally, I see a dilemma as a problem or difficulty where either/any choices have different but negative consequences and render the dilemma unsolvable. These ethical issues or situations emerge out of conflicts between value systems and human actions, when different human choices, values and intentions are at stake. Postulated rules and regulations often constitute these dilemmas, thus institutions claim the moral high ground on how a person robotically should behave at all times, when they face certain situations and difficulties. Whereas a human being has the choice on how to act when facing the dilemma, driven by first principles and sensibility, being able to remove any logical contradictions and act, with the intention on doing the right thing. Also, a human being is able to justify the choice and face the consequences of the action.
A dilemma can also be a sort of argumentative advantage (consider the fork in chess), where one person A declares either a valid dilemma or a false dilemma, and leaves it to person B to try and solve in speech. Whether or not this type of argumentation would be used in argumentation ethics seems to be pretty straight forward; it doesn’t aim at either understanding or knowledge – it is only employed by A to gain the moral high ground and to feel good about himself while ‘winning’ an argument. I think I might be in agreement with Hazlitt on this one.

Now the contradiction, that’s an entirely different thing in essence. We are here faced with logical contradictions of some sorts, emerging out of dislocations created by institutions, or logically incompatible sets. There is a completely different logical regularity attached to these contradictions, which are opposed to one and another logically. There is a more formal quality to these types of propositions which are opposed, compared with the complexity of possible dilemmas facing an individual in daily life. Contradictions can be solved.

The reasons why I am still uncertain about these concepts are: 1. Due to the fact that logic is a big part of one’s thinking connected with solving logical contradictions within oneself, while facing the dilemma, which may not be solvable by simply using logic. 2. That many of us face ‘false dilemmas’ on a daily basis, which is a sort of logical contradiction or at least logical fallacy. 3. The terms are not easily defined, and 4. We’re provided with obfuscated definitions of terms over time, as our dictionaries change over time,. Words tend to change meaning over time.

If there are any inconsistencies please point them out.

[Author]

Posts