Definitionv1

Holding a contradiction: the deliberate cognitive practice

Holding a contradiction: the deliberate cognitive practice of maintaining active awareness of a genuine contradiction without attempting premature resolution, allowing the tension to incubate and potentially reveal new variables or patterns that would be obscured by immediate synthesis

Why This Is a Definition

This definition precisely captures the curriculum's usage of 'holding' as a specific epistemic skill that distinguishes it from both ignoring contradictions and forcing premature resolution. It emphasizes the active, deliberate nature of the practice, the incubation aspect, and the expected outcome of revealing new information that would otherwise remain hidden.

Source Lessons

L-0363

Hold contradictions without rushing to resolve them

Sitting with a contradiction rather than forcing a premature resolution leads to better outcomes.

Connections

Defines (5)

AxiomBias Blind Spot Asymmetry AxiomBelief Perseverance Against Contradictory Evidence PrincipleUse values to eliminate unviable options rather than to PrincipleTo extract information from a contradiction, articulate both PrincipleAudit values-behavior gaps by comparing stated values

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