When I was taking a shower this morning, a paradox hit me. You see, in Norway we have this saying that goes something like "To every rule there is an exception" (no. det finnes ingen regel uten unntak), then:
"To every rule there is an exception."
– Is this the rule or the exception?
1. If this is the rule, what is the exception?
2. If this is an exception, what is it an exception to?
Metalanguage could solve it, but I’d rather change it to:
"To every rule there is an exception, except for this rule – something that proves its validity." Now, is the exception in the rule now? It’s a paradox because if every rule has an exception, then this rule must have it also. If the exception is in the rule itself ("except for this rule") does it make it right or not? Hmmm. Normal people just sing in the shower.
I couldn’t help thinking about the greek guy who said that every greek person always lies. If he’s right, then he is not lying, hence he is wrong.
Then what about sentences with circular extensions: "I am the son of my father"? ‘My father’ can not exist without a child, in this case me. I can not be ‘the son’ without a father. The words themselves, their meaning or extension, are circular, hence this sentence really doesn’t say anything. Or, it is analytic. I don’t know..