Can the 'paradox mindset' help you? “悖论思维” 能帮你更好地看问题吗

陈小将

我们往往用 “矛盾” 来描述两个看似互相对立、不应但确实同时存在的现实情况。逻辑学中，亦有 “悖论”  一词，那你知道什么是 “悖论思维” 吗？本期 “随身英语” 讨论这类思维方式如何帮助我们更好地看待问题。
词汇：mentality 心态
The chicken or the egg – which came first? It’s probably one of the most commonly cited paradoxes – a chicken hatches from an egg, so the egg came first, right? But then what laid the egg? The two ideas seem contradictory, and that’s exactly what a paradox is – a problem that seemingly has no definitive solution and can’t be logically solved.
And paradoxes don’t just exist in philosophical debates but also in our daily lives. How can work be flexible but maintain structure? How can we switch off if we’re working from home? Two contrasting ideas could cause people stress, but what if we accept the contradiction and change the way we look at it? This is what some experts call the ‘paradox mindset’.
A paradox consists of two realities that exist at the same time – even though that seems impossible. If you embrace just one of those realities and ignore the other, it can cause problems. For example, embracing change may lead to burn-out, while embracing stability may lead to boredom. Some experts have found the acceptance of both realities and a willingness to embrace them can improve both creativity and productivity by allowing you to navigate a path through the contradictions.
A 1996 study of geniuses by Albert Rothenberg found that those thinkers spent time considering opposites and antitheses. Consider Einstein. The theory of relativity was born out of the paradox that something could be moving and stationary at the same time, depending on perspective.
So, having a ‘paradox mindset’ and accepting the bigger picture may help you to better understand problems. It could also make you happier knowing that contradictions exist. As a result, it may lead you to improving your productivity and creativity. If it worked for Einstein, maybe it could be good for you too!