Paradox

From the book

The Kybalion

Three Initiates · Diotimos Editions · 2026

Orientation

At a Glance

The wordParadox is an apparent conflict between statements that the author tries to reconcile by distinguishing poles or standpoints.
In The KybalionII presents polarity as a reconciliation of opposing propositions.
In this editionParadox, half-truth, and half-wise remain distinct expressions.
A place to readII.15: … “extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled."—The Kybalion.”

Meaning

Paradox is an apparent conflict between statements that the author tries to reconcile by distinguishing poles or standpoints. The term is not a general licence to accept contradictory assertions without explanation.

Use in the book

II presents polarity as a reconciliation of opposing propositions. VI makes the divine paradox the relation between the universe's comparative unreality and its binding reality for finite beings. The half-wise take only the first side and neglect the second.

VII gives a related example. A character's spirit comes from its author, yet the character is not identical with the author. The creator can be present in a finite creation without being exhausted by it.

Places to read

II The Seven Hermetic Principles · Block 15… “extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled."—The Kybalion.”
VI The Divine Paradox · Block 2“This is the Paradox of the Universe, resulting from the Principle of Polarity which manifests when THE ALL begins to Create—hearken to it for it points the difference between half-wisdom and” …
VI The Divine Paradox · Block 3“What Hermetists know as "the Law of Paradox" is an aspect of the Principle of Polarity. The Hermetic writings are filled with references to the appearance of the Paradox in the” …
VII THE ALL in All · Block 3… “contradictory statement is reconcilable under the Law of Paradox. It is, moreover, an exact Hermetic statement of the relations existing between THE ALL and its Mental Universe. We have seen how” …
VII THE ALL in All · Block 5… “mental power of their creators? The Law of Paradox explains that both propositions are true, viewed from the proper viewpoints. Micawber is both Micawber, and yet Dickens. And, again, while Micawber” …

In this edition

Paradox, half-truth, and half-wise remain distinct expressions. Half-wise characterizes a reader's error, while half-truth characterizes a proposition taken without its balancing qualification.

Reading the argument

The reconciliation depends on specifying the respect in which each statement holds. If the difference of standpoint is removed, merely calling a conflict a paradox does not resolve it. The book's best examples contain an explicit qualification; its broadest slogans require that work to be supplied.

“Paradox” — 8 occurrences in 5 text blocks: II.10; VI.2–3; VII.3, 5.

paradoxes

“paradoxes” — 5 occurrences in 4 text blocks: II.15–16; X.1–2.

half-truth

“half-truth” — 2 occurrences in 2 text blocks: VI.3; VII.5.

half-wise

“half-wise” — 4 occurrences in 4 text blocks: VI.1, 16, 18; VII.5.