trilemman.
/trʌɪˈlɛmə/, U.S. /traɪˈlɛmə/ A situation, or (in Logic) a syllogism, of the nature of a dilemma n., but involving three alternatives instead of two.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > types of difficulty > [noun] > difficulty or perplexity
disjointc1374
dulcarnona1413
perplexitive1465
disjunct1553
quandary?1576
dilemma1590
distraction1602
trilemma1672
the mind > will > free will > choice or choosing > types of choice > [noun] > choosing between alternatives > a choice of alternatives > of three
trilemma1672
the mind > mental capacity > philosophy > logic > logical syllogism > logical argument > [noun] > types of logical argument > dilemma > types, variants, or elements of
pike1548
crocodilite1624
trilemma1672
crocodile1728
constructive dilemma1826
polylemmaa1856
tetralemmaa1856
1672 P. Henry Diaries & Lett. (1882) 250 Wee are put hereby to a Trilemma either to turn flat Independents, or to strike in with ye conformists, or to sit down in former silence.
1690 C. Ness Compl. Hist. & Myst. Old & New Test. I. 375 Joseph..prudently answers the..trilemma, the..three~horned argument.
1725 I. Watts Logick iii. ii. §6 This sort of argument may be..composed of three..members, and may be called a Trilemma.
a1860 Sears (Worcester) We stand in a trilemma, and we must adopt one of three sets of conclusions.
1887 T. Fowler Elem. Deduct. Logic (ed. 9) v. 120 We may form a Trilemma, Tetralemma, &c., by increasing the number of antecedents or consequents or both.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1914; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1672