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Paradox of the Spear and the Shield / Contradiction

The term comes from a story in Hanfeizi. In the story, mao (矛) is a spear that is said to be able to pierce anything; dun (盾) is a shield that is said to be able to be pierced by nothing. Mao and dun are a paradox to each other, so a person cannot affirm both propositions at the same time. Later, the term came to mean “contradiction,” or “inconsistency between speech and action.”

CITATION

A man from the State of Chu was selling spears and shields. He boasted about his shield, saying “It is so tough that nothing can pierce it.” He then boasted about his spear, saying, “It is so sharp that it can pierce anything.”Someone asked him, “What will happen if you pierce your shield using your spear?” The man was speechless. A spear that can pierce anything and a shield that can be pierced by nothing cannot exist at the same time. (Hanfeizi)

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