Paradox (noun, “PAR-uh-dox”)
A paradox is when a scenario seems — at first — impossible. It goes against what your gut feeling tells you is true. Once resolved, however, a paradox often reveals something crucial about how a system works. It may correct a common misconception. Or it may address incorrect assumptions.
Sometimes, a paradox consists of real facts that seem to defy expectation. Moravec’s paradox is one example. It notes that many abilities that come easily to humans are quite hard to program into a robot. Walking, for instance. On the flip side, many easy-to-program abilities, such as complex math, are hard for humans to learn. Exploring this paradox can help us better understand how the human mind works.
English (US)