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Definition:
The distinction between homological and heterological is one between different types
of words or phrases. A word or phrase is homological when it applies to itself. A word
or phrase is heterological when it does not or cannot apply to itself. For example:
The word short is homological because the word short is, indeed, short.
The word long is not homological because the word long is not actually long it self.
This leads us to an interesting paradox. The word homological is itself homological - but what about the word heterological? Does the word heterological apply to itself or not? If it does not apply to itself then the term is heterological, which means that it does, after all apply to itself. On the other hand, if we say that the word applies to itself, then it is homological and not heterological, which means that it does not apply to itself. No matter which assumption we start with, we end up with the opposite in the end, going around in an endless circle of obscure words. This is also known as Grelling's Paradox.
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Related Resources:
What is the Logic and the Philosophy of Language?
The two fields Logic and the Philosophy of Language are often treated separately, but they are nevertheless close enough that they are presented together here. Logic is the study of methods of reasoning and argumentation, both proper and improper. The Philosophy of Language, on the other hand, involves the study of how our language interacts with our thinking.What is Philosophy?
What is philosophy? Is there any point in studying philosophy, or is it a useless subject? What are the different branches of philosophy - what's the difference between aestheitcs and ethics? What's the difference between metaphysics and epistemology?
