What is Contradiction? Some possible meanings

Abstract

The term contradiction can assume several different meanings.  Frequently this fact constitutes source of misunderstanding. In this paper we identify four of these meanings. The first of such  meanings concerns the strict sense of logic. In order to discuss it  in an appropriate manner we consider five examples of physics  and mathematics. The second meaning concerns the struggle  among groups expressing conflicts of interests. The third one  constitutes the existing inconsistence among established theories  which are combined, and the forth one concerns the idealizations  which falsify the reality, but, on the other hand, works as a  methodological guide in order to better describe the reality itself.  We argue that the three last meanings are not in conflict with the  first one concerning logic.