|
Conflicting Conditions
Definition
The definition is self-contradictory.
Examples
- A society is free if and only if liberty is maximized and
people are required to take responsibility for their actions.
(Definitions of this sort are fairly common, especially on
the internet. However, if a person is required to do something,
then that person's liberty is not maximized.)
- People are eligible to apply for a learner's permit (to
drive) if they have (a) no previous driving experience, (b) access
to a vehicle, and (c) experience operating a motor vehicle.
(A person cannot have experience operating a motor vehicle
if they have no previous driving experience.)
Proof
Identify the conditions
in the definition. Show that they cannot all be true at the
same time (in particular, assume that one of the conditions is
true, then show from this that another of the conditions must
be false).
References
Cedarblom and Paulsen: 186
13 August 1996
|