Q&A: Atoms and the Law of Non-Contradiction
Atoms and the Law of Non-Contradiction
Question
Rabbi, a few days ago I heard an attempt—which in my opinion is not acceptable—to refute the law of non-contradiction, and of course I’d be happy to hear your response:
How does the law of non-contradiction fit with the different roles of atoms? After all, in essence atom x has a certain role, and in essence y has a different role…
Answer
That really is a question from the innermost mystical heights of the World of Emanation. But why go to the roles of atoms? Charity begins at home. I, too, have one role at home (there I’m a father and husband) and a different role in the kollel at Bar-Ilan (there I teach). Beyond that, when people annoy me I get angry, and when they don’t annoy me I don’t get angry; when they hit me it hurts, and when they don’t hit me it doesn’t hurt. QED.
By the way, even if they refuted the law of non-contradiction, it would still be valid. After all, if you reached the conclusion that law X is not correct, that doesn’t stop you from thinking (?) that it is correct. QED.