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Date: Fri, 8 Sep 2000 17:03:00 -0700 (PDT)
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Subject: A.Word.A.Day--Russell's paradox
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Russell's paradox (RUS-uhls PAR-uh-doks) noun

   A paradox of set theory in which an object is defined in terms of a
   class of objects that contains the object being defined, resulting
   in a logical contradiction.

[Named after Bertrand Russell (1872-1970).]

   `Post No Bills.'
   "Professor Howard Shane of Baruch College (CUNY) wonders if there is a
   Russell's Paradox in the accompanying picture."
   Allan J. Rossman & Beth L. Chance, Teaching the reasoning of statistical
   inference, The College Mathematics Journal, Sep 1, 1999.

This week's theme: syndromes, paradoxes, laws, and principles.

.............................................................................
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not
sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. -Anne
Bradstreet

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Pronunciation:
http://wordsmith.org/words/russells_paradox.wav
http://wordsmith.org/words/russells_paradox.ram