Polar opposites

Hnnh2000 · Post by **Hnnh2000** » August 20th, 2017, 5:12 am

Is everything that's polar opposite exactly the same? For example, if everyone is special then no one is special, and if no one is special then everyone is special. One end of the spectrum meets the other end of the spectrum in the same spot, as if philosophy is a circle. Iv'e been wondering this a lot lately, does anyone know what I mean?

Fooloso4 · Post by **Fooloso4** » August 20th, 2017, 8:02 am

Rather than a circle I think the horseshoe may be more apt:

The horseshoe theory in political science asserts that the far left and the far right, rather than being at opposite and opposing ends of a linear political continuum, in fact closely resemble one another, much like the ends of a horseshoe. The theory is attributed to French writer Jean-Pierre Faye. (Wiki)

Spectrum · Post by **Spectrum** » August 20th, 2017, 11:41 pm

Hnnh2000 wrote:Is everything that's polar opposite exactly the same? For example, if everyone is special then no one is special, and if no one is special then everyone is special. One end of the spectrum meets the other end of the spectrum in the same spot, as if philosophy is a circle. Iv'e been wondering this a lot lately, does anyone know what I mean?

Newton's Third Law would be an apt analogy.

In reality it is not exactly the same but in dynamic complementarity and entangled.
Note the Yin- Yang model that demonstrate dynamic complementarity and entanglement.

One critical philosophical consideration is how to reconcile the unity within the duality.

Burning ghost · Post by **Burning ghost** » August 21st, 2017, 1:21 am

Hnnh2000 wrote:Is everything that's polar opposite exactly the same? For example, if everyone is special then no one is special, and if no one is special then everyone is special. One end of the spectrum meets the other end of the spectrum in the same spot, as if philosophy is a circle. Iv'e been wondering this a lot lately, does anyone know what I mean?

Their are different kinds of antonyms within languages. Someone and no one are a particular kind of antonym whilst rich and poor is another kind of antonym.

"relational opposites" are things like buyer/seller, or husband/wife, where the existence of one implies the other.
"complimentary pairs" are things like alive/dead, present absent, or someone/no one, where the presence of one implies the absence of the other.
"gradable antonyms" are things like big/small, rich/poor, or happy/sad, where "not happy" does not necessarily mean "sad".

There are some more unique cases too if you wish to look them up? Autoantonyms (I think there is a more popular term for these, but I've forgotten what it is!) and antiautonyms.

Hope you find this at least interesting if not helpful

Ranvier · Post by **Ranvier** » August 21st, 2017, 2:05 am

Keep flirting with this idea until it makes sense. Duality and symmetry is part of the absolute yet not the same with possible even deeper absolute.

-1- · Post by **-1-** » August 21st, 2017, 1:56 pm

Polar opposites are very similar. In weather patterns, in climate, in flora, in colour, in water content. Some differences remain: One has penguins, the other, Eskimos.

Burning ghost · Post by **Burning ghost** » August 21st, 2017, 2:36 pm

note: the "someone" and "no-one" are peculiar if viewed as antonyms because they straddle both "complimentary pairs" and "relational opposites". I have often found this with other terms, my favourite obsession being "subjective" and "objective".

Post by **LuckyR** » August 27th, 2017, 1:03 am

Burning ghost wrote:
Hnnh2000 wrote:Is everything that's polar opposite exactly the same? For example, if everyone is special then no one is special, and if no one is special then everyone is special. One end of the spectrum meets the other end of the spectrum in the same spot, as if philosophy is a circle. Iv'e been wondering this a lot lately, does anyone know what I mean?
Their are different kinds of antonyms within languages. Someone and no one are a particular kind of antonym whilst rich and poor is another kind of antonym.

"relational opposites" are things like buyer/seller, or husband/wife, where the existence of one implies the other.
"complimentary pairs" are things like alive/dead, present absent, or someone/no one, where the presence of one implies the absence of the other.
"gradable antonyms" are things like big/small, rich/poor, or happy/sad, where "not happy" does not necessarily mean "sad".

There are some more unique cases too if you wish to look them up? Autoantonyms (I think there is a more popular term for these, but I've forgotten what it is!) and antiautonyms.

Hope you find this at least interesting if not helpful

Great post. When I think of opposites, I generally think of what you would call gradable antonyms. In other words I don't think of husband vs wife.

-1- · Post by **-1-** » August 27th, 2017, 1:25 am

There are polar opposites, and there are popular opposites. And plural opposites. And pro-prular opposites.

Popular opposites: Jesus-Buddha; Moulin Rouge-Sistine Chapel; Justin Beaver - Frank Zappa.

Plural opposites: Beatles vs. Mormon Tabernacle Choir; Red Army vs Luftwaffe; seven-eleven team, vs. Men in Black.

Pro-prular opposites: Rodney King and gang vs SF police. Early Christians in the Colosseum, vs. hungry lions. The Mets vs the Yankees.

Alias · Post by **Alias** » August 27th, 2017, 7:07 pm

The physical, or literal, phrase "polar opposites" refers exclusively to things that have poles, such as planets and magnets. In the literal sense, they must necessarily be the same in every way but the essential one: as North/South or +/-.

In all other usage, the phrase is metaphorical - employed for imagery, not accuracy.

Phorever · Post by **Phorever** » August 28th, 2017, 6:44 pm

Hnnh2000 wrote:Is everything that's polar opposite exactly the same? For example, if everyone is special then no one is special, and if no one is special then everyone is special. One end of the spectrum meets the other end of the spectrum in the same spot, as if philosophy is a circle. Iv'e been wondering this a lot lately, does anyone know what I mean?

You are leaving out one important part that reflects life which is STATE. What state is the world in at the time of measurement? If it's all one's then it can't be all zeros but life is zeros and ones or else there is no information.