Widersprüchlich

Widersprüchlich is a German adjective meaning contradictory or inconsistent. It is used for statements, beliefs, arguments, or situations that contain mutually exclusive elements or that cannot be true at the same time. The term is common in journalism, law, science, and everyday language, where a report or claim may appear widersprüchlich if different parts conflict with one another.

In logic and philosophy, the core idea is contradiction. In classical logic, a proposition p and its negation ¬p cannot both be true; a system that yields p and ¬p is inconsistent. From an inconsistency, the principle of explosion follows in classical logic, allowing any conclusion. Some non-classical logics, such as paraconsistent logic, are designed to tolerate certain contradictions without trivializing inference.

In data, research, and rhetoric, widersprüchlichkeit can indicate errors, incomplete information, or deliberate ambiguity. In textual analysis, detecting internal contradictions helps assess reliability. In political or legal discourse, contrasting statements may reveal shifting positions rather than simple error.

Etymology and usage: Widerspruch means contradiction; -lich forms an adjective meaning "characterized by." The noun form Widersprüchlichkeit denotes the quality of being contradictory. See also Widerspruch, Logik, Paradox, and related terms in German-language discussions of disagreement and coherence.