Encyclopedia > Self-reference

  Article Content

Self-reference

A self-reference occurs when a statement refers to itself. Reference is possible when there are two logical levels, a level and a meta-level. It is most commonly used in mathematics, philosophy, computer programming, and linguistics. Self-referential statements can lead to paradoxes.

An example of a self-reference situation is the one of autopoïesis, as the logical organisation produces itself the physical structure which create itself.

Examples

  • pentasyllabic (a word which describes itself)
  • This statement is short.
  • "Yields falsehood when preceded by its quotation," yields falsehood when preceded by its quotation. (This is a version of the liar paradox, an example of indirect self-reference leading to a paradox.)
  • "See self-reference" in this article. This is also called a self-link. Sometimes this is done on purpose for technical reasons.

Related articles



All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

 
  Search Encyclopedia

Search over one million articles, find something about almost anything!
 
 
  
  Featured Article
Canadian Music Hall of Fame

... Hank Snow 1980 Paul Anka 1981 Joni Mitchell 1982 Neil Young 1983 Glenn Gould 1986 Gordon Lightfoot 1987 The Guess Who[?] 1989 The Band 1990 Maureen ...

 
 
 
This page was created in 38.9 ms