The Origins of the Paradox

Paradox...comes from two ancient Greek words, para meaning “beyond” and doxa meaning “opinion.” Literally, it means “beyond opinion,” but it originally conveyed the sense of “being beyond the pale of current opinion” or “contrary to current thinking.” In the early days, it had a negative connotation, suggesting something that was fantastically unbelievable or even heretical. Shakespeare used the word in this sense when he wrote in Othello, “These are old fond paradoxes to make fools laugh i’ the alehouse.” Over time, the word gradually took on today’s more favorable connotation—something…