VIEWS THAT SELF-DESTRUCT
When statements fail to meet their own criteria of validity, they are self-refuting. Even when they seem true at first glance (and many do), they still prove themselves false. The minute the words are uttered, they fail. Here are some conspicuous examples I have encountered over the years:
• “There is no truth.” (Is this statement true?)
• “There are no absolutes.” (Is this an absolute?)
• “No one can know any truth about religion.” (And how, precisely,
did you come to know that truth about religion?)
• “You can’t know anything for sure.” (Are you sure about that?)
• “Talking about God is meaningless.” (What does this statement
about God mean?)
• “You can only know truth through experience.” (What experience
taught you that truth?)
• “Never take anyone’s advice on that issue.” (Should I take your
advice on that?)
...the law of noncontradiction. This law reflects the commonsense notion that contradictory statements cannot both be true at the same time.
All suicidal views either express or entail contradictions. They make two different claims that are at odds with each other: “A” is the case and “A” is not the case. Obvious contradictions are often funny because we see the absurdity built into them:
• “I used to believe in reincarnation. But that was in a former life.” (I don’t believe in reincarnation. I do believe in reincarnation.)
• “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” (It’s not crowded. It is crowded.)
• “I wish I had an answer to that, because I’m tired of answering that question.” (I don’t know the answer to that question. I know the answer to that question.)
• “I really didn’t say everything I said.”4 (I did not say it. I did say it.)
• “I never, never, repeat a word. Never.” (I don’t repeat a word. But I just did repeat a word.)
• “This page intentionally left blank.” (This page is blank. This page is not blank.)
• “You’re in rare form, as usual.” (Your performance is rare. Your performance is not rare.)
• “These terrorists have technology we don’t even know about.” (We know about things we don’t know about.)
When an idea or objection violates the law of noncontradiction in a straightforward fashion, I call it “Formal Suicide.”
To recognize if a view has suicidal tendencies, first, pay attention to the basic idea, premise, conviction, or claim. Try to identify it. Next, ask if the claim applies to itself. If so, is there a conflict?
Does the statement itself fail to live up to its own standards? Can it be stated in the form “A” is the case and “A” is not the case? If so, it commits suicide.
Here’s another way of looking at it: If exactly the same reasons in favor of another’s view (or against your own) defeat the reasons themselves, then the view is self-defeating.
When statements fail to meet their own criteria of validity, they are self-refuting. Even when they seem true at first glance (and many do), they still prove themselves false. The minute the words are uttered, they fail. Here are some conspicuous examples I have encountered over the years:
• “There is no truth.” (Is this statement true?)
• “There are no absolutes.” (Is this an absolute?)
• “No one can know any truth about religion.” (And how, precisely,
did you come to know that truth about religion?)
• “You can’t know anything for sure.” (Are you sure about that?)
• “Talking about God is meaningless.” (What does this statement
about God mean?)
• “You can only know truth through experience.” (What experience
taught you that truth?)
• “Never take anyone’s advice on that issue.” (Should I take your
advice on that?)
...the law of noncontradiction. This law reflects the commonsense notion that contradictory statements cannot both be true at the same time.
All suicidal views either express or entail contradictions. They make two different claims that are at odds with each other: “A” is the case and “A” is not the case. Obvious contradictions are often funny because we see the absurdity built into them:
• “I used to believe in reincarnation. But that was in a former life.” (I don’t believe in reincarnation. I do believe in reincarnation.)
• “Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.” (It’s not crowded. It is crowded.)
• “I wish I had an answer to that, because I’m tired of answering that question.” (I don’t know the answer to that question. I know the answer to that question.)
• “I really didn’t say everything I said.”4 (I did not say it. I did say it.)
• “I never, never, repeat a word. Never.” (I don’t repeat a word. But I just did repeat a word.)
• “This page intentionally left blank.” (This page is blank. This page is not blank.)
• “You’re in rare form, as usual.” (Your performance is rare. Your performance is not rare.)
• “These terrorists have technology we don’t even know about.” (We know about things we don’t know about.)
When an idea or objection violates the law of noncontradiction in a straightforward fashion, I call it “Formal Suicide.”
To recognize if a view has suicidal tendencies, first, pay attention to the basic idea, premise, conviction, or claim. Try to identify it. Next, ask if the claim applies to itself. If so, is there a conflict?
Does the statement itself fail to live up to its own standards? Can it be stated in the form “A” is the case and “A” is not the case? If so, it commits suicide.
Here’s another way of looking at it: If exactly the same reasons in favor of another’s view (or against your own) defeat the reasons themselves, then the view is self-defeating.
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