The Fool Paradox, biblicized

 The Fool Paradox, biblicized

 

The Fool Paradox:

“I am a fool.”

The Fool is as wise as he is foolish. This is like the jest by Socrates of Athens, “I know only that I know nothing.”

The Liar Paradox:

“I am lying.”

The Liar is as honest as he is crooked. This is like the jest by Epimenides of Crete, “All Cretans are liars.”

The Fool replaces the Liar’s deceit with folly. Therefore the Fool is better intended than the Liar, but perhaps more dangerous.

The Fool Paradox, biblicized:

The fool saith in his heart, I know not God; thus the fool is as wise as he is foolish.

In the original verse, the fool was an atheist; in this commentary, he’s an agnostic, and therefore half-wise. I too am an agnostic half-wit, and this is my half-witticism.

Riddle me this: what is the difference between a mystic and an agnostic? Answer: a mystic is a believer who does not believe, but an agnostic is an unbeliever who does believe.