Dialetheism and the Law of Non-contradiction

Abstract

To say that the Law of Non-contradiction (LNC) underpins Western philosophy is perhaps not an exaggeration, but the discovery of paradoxes poses a serious challenge to its foundational status. This paper examines and defends one of the most thought-provoking solutions - dialetheism, which proposes that there are indeed true contradictions. With the help of a model explaining how change in logic takes place, I discuss how, despite the LNC being regarded as the hallmark of rational thinking, it is possible to debate the LNC without being circular. I also evaluate arguments from both LNC proponents and opponents. Ultimately I conclude that the dialetheist comes out on top on both establishing a constructive argument and defending his position.