Mental Models: Paradoxes

Paradoxes are puzzling situations that seem to defy logic or common sense. These sometimes mind-bending concepts can challenge our understanding of the universe, human behavior, and even the nature of reality. This section contain a variety of paradoxes, from the perplexing to the profound, and explores their implications and potential resolutions.


Catch-22

Peto’s Paradox

The Paradox of Hedonism

Illustration of Catch-22 showing a person trapped in a labyrinth with confusing and contradictory paths, symbolizing the helplessness one might feel in these intricate situations.
Illustration of Peto's Paradox through a split screen of an elephant and a portion its cells showing low incidents of cancer (compared to a human) despite its size.
Triumph of Bacchus, oil on canvas by Ciro Ferri, 17th century.

The Paradox of Tolerance

The Abilene Paradox

Agrippa’s Trilemma

Illustrating the Paradox of Tolerance through a libra that balance "tolerance" and "defense of a tolerant society".
The Abilene Paradox illustrated by a group of people in a small wooden row boat heading for the edge of a large waterfall. They are all going along with a plan, even though it is clearly not ideal, but none of them want to rock the boat or disappoint the group.
Illustrating Agrippa's Trilemma through a person standing at a crossroads, branching into 3 different paths. This visual metaphor represents the trilemma of philosophical inquiry, where one is faced with multiple paths and perspectives, each leading to different conclusions or uncertainties. It symbolizes the complexity and challenge of grappling with deep existential questions and the need to navigate through various philosophical arguments and perspectives.

The Twin Paradox

The Fermi Paradox

The Wormhole Billiard Ball Paradox

Illustrating the twin paradox with two identical twins standing next to each other, with one of them looking 25 years old and the other 60 years old.
Attempt to illustrate the 2nd possible explanation to the Fermi Paradox: intelligent civilizations being too far apart in space and time to detect each other.
Illustration of the Wormhole Billiard Ball Paradox in which two wormholes are connected through a tunnel and a billiard ball is coming out of one of the wormholes before it has entered the other wormhole in the first place.

Jevons Paradox


  • The Black Hole Information Paradox
  • The Observer’s Paradox
  • The Infinite Hotel Paradox
  • The Intentionally Blank Page Paradox


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