Paradox

ANAXIMANDER AND THE RIDDLE OF ORIGIN 7Fig. 1.1Rosa genus. But it is pedantic to deny that the cut flowers ofthe shrub are roses.The rose analogy puts me in mind of an exchangebetween Bertrand Russell and Wittgenstein. As a student,Wittgenstein would think ferociously about a problem andthen just proclaim his solution, rather like an edict from theczar. Russell chided him for not including the reasoningbehind his conclusions. Wittgenstein wondered aloudwhether, when he gave Russell a rose, he should give him theroots as well.Philosophers read arguments into an amazing variety ofphenomena: explanations, predictions, thought experiments,even history itself (as if war were just a heated stretch of agreat debate). I would not be surprised if it was a philosopherwho first pointed out that the Canadian flag (fig. 1.1) harborsa hidden argument. Look at the white area at the top left andthe top right. By reversing figure and ground, you can seethese two regions as a pair of contentious heads tilted downat a 45-degree angle.My account does not require that any of the good answersto a paradox be based on arguments. A good answer might