A True Contradiction
  • TheMadFool
    13.8k
    Argument A

    1. Snow is white

    2. White is not emotion [white is a color, emotion is not]

    Ergo,

    3. Snow is not emotion [from 1, 2]

    ---

    Argument B

    4. C is a black circle

    5. C is black & C is circular [from 4]

    From 6 - 8 refer to argument A

    6. C is black [5 Simp]

    7. Black is not circular [black is a color, circular is not]

    Ergo,

    8. C is not circular

    9. C is circular [5 Simp]

    10. C is circular & C is not circular [8, 9 Conj] [Contradiction!]

    There are black circles :point: O and ○. So 4. C is a black circle cannot be false.

    Conclusion: There are true contradictions (see 10)
    TheMadFool Options
  • Michael
    16.4k
    You're equivocating. To say that C is black and circular is to say that C has the colour-property black and the shape-property circle. Colour properties cannot have shape-properties (as per 2), but objects can have both shape- and colour-properties.
    Michael Options
  • TheMadFool
    13.8k
    You're equivocating. To say that C is black and circular is to say that C has the colour-property black and the shape-property circle. Colour properties cannot have shape-properties (as per 2), but objects can have both shape- and colour-properties. — Michael

    I thought so too. Thanks for noticing my error.
    TheMadFool Options
  • kudos
    417
    ↪TheMadFool
    The usual structure goes:

    individual -> particular
    particular -> universal
    individual -> universal

    You have replaced the universal in the second step with a second particular.
    kudos Options
  • TheMadFool
    13.8k
    ↪kudos
    I was thinking along the lines of qualities. C's black in color but circular in shape. No contradiction.
    TheMadFool Options
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