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'.

All inconsistent triads lead to trilemmas:

Epistemology

  1. Knowledge is justified true belief.
  2. Humans cannot provide justification for their beliefs.
  3. Humans possess knowledge.

Political philosophy

  1. A just society maximizes individual liberty.
  2. A just society maximizes material equality.
  3. A just society cannot maximize both liberty and equality.

Ethics

  1. Actions that maximize overall well-being are morally right.
  2. Lying can sometimes maximize overall well-being.
  3. Lying is always morally wrong.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Oxford companion to philosophy". Choice Reviews Online. 33 (5): 33–2495–33-2495. 1996-01-01. doi:10.5860/CHOICE.33-2495 (inactive 1 July 2025). S2CID 142841293.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)
  2. ↑ Sullivan, Scott M. (2005-10-26). An Introduction To Traditional Logic: Classical Reasoning For Contemporary. Booksurge Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4196-1671-6.
  3. ↑ de Grefte, Job (2023-02-01). "Knowledge as Justified True Belief". Erkenntnis. 88 (2): 531–549. doi:10.1007/s10670-020-00365-7. ISSN 1572-8420.
  4. ↑ Hume, David (2020), An Enquiry concerning Human Understanding, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/owc/9780199549900.001.0001/isbn-9780199549900 (inactive 1 July 2025), ISBN 978-0-19-192173-5, retrieved 2025-02-21{{citation}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link)
  5. ↑ Descartes, René; Moriarty, Michael (2008). Meditations on first philosophy: with selections from the Objections and replies. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-280696-3.
  6. ↑ Nozick, Robert (1974). Anarchy, State, and Utopia. New York: Basic Books.
  7. ↑ Rawls, John (1971). A Theory of Justice: Original Edition. Harvard University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctvjf9z6v. ISBN 978-0-674-88010-8. JSTOR j.ctvjf9z6v.
  8. ↑ Berlin, Isaiah (2002-03-07), "Two Concepts of Liberty", in Berlin, Isaiah; Hardy (eds.), Liberty, Oxford University Press, pp. 166–217, doi:10.1093/019924989x.003.0004, ISBN 978-0-19-924989-3, retrieved 2025-02-20
  9. ↑ Bentham, Jeremy (1890). Utilitarianism. Progressive Publishing Company.
  10. ↑ Greasley, Kate (2019). "The Morality of Lying and the Murderer at the Door". Law and Philosophy. 38 (5/6): 439–452. doi:10.1007/s10982-018-09342-2. ISSN 0167-5249. JSTOR 45284255.
  11. ↑ Wood, Allen W. (2011). "Kant and the right to lie reviewed essay: On a supposed right to lie from philanthropy, by Inmanuel Kant (1797)". Eidos (15): 96–117. ISSN 1692-8857.

Further reading