| 单词 | hen-and-egg dilemma |
| 释义 | > as lemmashen-and-egg dilemma P4. hen-and-(the)-egg: used as a modifier, designating the apparent paradox posed by the question ‘Which came first: the hen or the egg?’ (cf. quot. 1603), expressing the problem of determining which of two entities or events should be considered the cause and which the effect when each appears to depend on the prior existence of the other. Frequently in hen-and-egg argument, hen-and-egg dilemma, hen-and-egg problem.Cf. chicken-and-(the-)egg at chicken n. Phrases 4, and see the note there for discussion of the history of this problem. ΘΚΠ the world > existence and causation > causation > [phrase] > chicken-and-the-egg hen-and-egg1855 chicken-and-(the-)egg1857 the mind > attention and judgement > testing > resolving of problem, solution > [adjective] > incapable of being solved insoluble1393 unresolvable1604 inextricable1613 indissolvable1637 unriddleable1647 irresolvable1660 unsolvible1664 insolvable1693 unsolvable1821 hen-and-egg1855 indissoluble1868 irresoluble1868 1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 670 With this little question of the henne and the egge..we shaked the great frame and weightie fabricke of the generation of the whole world.] 1855 Boston Investigator 21 Mar. A solution a priori, one way or the other, is perfectly impossible. Like the hen and egg argument, yours can be reversed, and made to serve the purpose of its own refutation. 1931 A. L. Rowse Politics & Younger Generation 146 It is the old hen-and-egg argument, that there is no knowing which comes first. 1951 W. Empson Struct. Complex Words 436 But firstly, there is a typical hen-and-egg problem. a1963 L. MacNeice Astrol. (1964) ii. 39 The old hen-and-egg dilemma (did god or planet come first?). 2009 Mass Transit (Nexis) Dec. 20 It was kind of a hen and egg problem with looking for the first real project and establishing a local office. < as lemmas |
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