Inconsistent triad
An inconsistent triad is a set of three propositions that cannot all be true together. For example, 'She was an orphan; Tim outlived her; Tim was her father'.[1]
All inconsistent triads lead to trilemmas:
- If A and B are true, C must be false.
- If A and C are true, B must be false.
- If B and C are true, A must be false.[2]
Epistemology
- Knowledge is justified true belief.[3]
- Humans cannot provide justification for their beliefs.[4]
- Humans possess knowledge.[5]
Political philosophy
- A just society maximizes individual liberty.[6]
- A just society maximizes material equality.[7]
- A just society cannot maximize both liberty and equality.[8]
Ethics
- Actions that maximize overall well-being are morally right.[9]
- Lying can sometimes maximize overall well-being.[10]
- Lying is always morally wrong.[11]
See also
- Classical logic
- Contradiction
- Dilemma
- Formal logic
- Reductio ad absurdum
- Trilemma
References
- S2CID 142841293.)
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of February 2025 (link - ISBN 978-1-4196-1671-6.
- ISSN 1572-8420.
- ISBN 978-0-19-192173-5, retrieved 2025-02-21)
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of February 2025 (link - ISBN 978-0-19-280696-3.
- ^ Nozick, Robert (1974). Anarchy, State, and Utopia. New York: Basic Books.
- JSTOR j.ctvjf9z6v.
- ISBN 978-0-19-924989-3, retrieved 2025-02-20
- ^ Bentham, Jeremy (1890). Utilitarianism. Progressive Publishing Company.
- JSTOR 45284255.
- ISSN 1692-8857.
Further reading
- Brewer, B. (2011). The Inconsistent Triad. Perception, Causation, and Objectivity, 68.
- Howard-Snyder, F., Howard-Snyder, D., & Wasserman, R. (2009). The Power of Logic (4th Edition). New York: McGraw-Hill. (p. 336) ISBN 978-0-07-340737-1