The tolerance paradox

Paradox

Similar to Circular reasoning, A paradox is a seemingly true statement or group of statements that lead to a contradiction or a situation which seems to defy logic or intuition...

arises from a problem that a tolerant person might be antagonistic toward intolerance

Ethnic intolerance

Ethnic intolerance can refer to the following:* ethnic hatred* ethnic conflict* discrimination* racism* ethnic nationalism...

, hence intolerant of it. The tolerant individual would then be by definition intolerant of intolerance. This problem is at the heart of the dilemma faced by pluralist

Cultural pluralism

Cultural pluralism is a term used when smaller groups within a larger society maintain their unique cultural identities, and their values and practices are accepted by the wider culture. Cultural pluralism is often confused with Multiculturalism...

 societies who wish to embrace diversity

Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism is the appreciation, acceptance or promotion of multiple cultures, applied to the demographic make-up of a specific place, usually at the organizational level, e.g...

, but in doing so ostensibly exclude those who do not embrace diversity.

Many philosophers, including Karl Popper

Karl Popper

Sir Karl Raimund Popper, CH FRS FBA was an Austro-British philosopher and a professor at the London School of Economics...

 and John Rawls

John Rawls

John Bordley Rawls was an American philosopher and a leading figure in moral and political philosophy. He held the James Bryant Conant University Professorship at Harvard University....

, have discussed this paradox.

External links

• The Concept of Toleration and its Paradoxes, in Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
• The Paradoxes of Tolerance, Barbara Pasamonik in Social Studies, v95 n5 p206 Sep-Oct 2004.
• "Puzzles and Paradoxes of Tolerance", Hans Oberdiek, 2001.
• Tolerating the Intolerant, Michael Totten.