Tegenspraak

Tegenspraak is a Dutch term that refers to contradiction or inconsistency between statements, beliefs, actions, or pieces of evidence. In everyday use it describes situations where two claims cannot both be true about the same subject.

In logic and philosophy, tegenspraak is closely related to the law of non-contradiction: a proposition cannot be true and false at the same time. When a theory contains tegenspraak, its conclusions become unreliable, and in formal systems it is generally seen as a flaw to be avoided. Detecting tegenspraak involves identifying propositions that cannot all be true simultaneously.

In rhetoric and discourse, tegenspraak can occur when a speaker makes conflicting statements or when evidence supports incompatible conclusions. It is often pointed out in debates to highlight errors or self-contradictions in an argument.

In Dutch law and public administration, tegenspraak also denotes the right to be heard and to respond to evidence in decision-making processes. This procedural tegenspraak aims to ensure fair treatment by allowing affected parties to challenge findings and arguments before a decision is made.

Related notions include contradiction, inconsistency, and cognitive dissonance, though tegenspraak is a broad concept that spans both logical reasoning and practical argumentation.