The Paradox of Art

entry 1: the paradox.

≫Paradox: a seemingly absurd or self-contradictory statement or proposition that when investigated or explained may prove to be well founded or true

I personally love a good paradox. I love having to think things through and being able to deduce the whole idea to a conclusion that seems reasonable and allows to you relax. To feel all your muscles release their tension and feel a gust of fresh thoughts breeze through your mind. Much like a runner likes to run to stretch their legs and exercise their lungs; I like to think to stretch my mind and exercise my imagination. Because I am a thinker. A dreamer.

A good paradox arises in the following question: "What would happen if Pinocchio said 'my nose will grow now'?"

You hear that? That's the gears in your brain frantically grinding to figure it out. It is what is known as the 'liar paradox'. Which means any attempt to try and apply a truth value leads to a contradiction. This doesn't mean that there's not a solution however. So let's think this through.

In a normal situation when telling the truth, Pinocchio's nose would stay put. When lying, it grows. So, if Pinocchio said "My nose will grow now" one would automatically assume that this would be a lie. However, if it was a lie, his nose would truly grow making it the truth again. Well then in this scenario Pinocchio's nose may as well explode off his face. But perhaps we're just thinking of it all wrong as the solution is simple if we all stopped and thought of the scene just a little more broadly.

It all depends on what his previous statement was.

And with that your mind is put at ease. You feel a little smarter. A little but more philosophical. Sophisticated.

Or maybe that's just me.