counterintuitiveness
Against expected reasoning
Counterintuitiveness is the quality of being contrary to what common sense or gut instinct would suggest.
A finding has counterintuitiveness when it surprises us by contradicting our expectations: The counterintuitiveness of the result—that adding more lanes increases traffic—took years to accept.
Scientific discoveries often possess this quality, revealing that reality operates differently than we naturally assume.
Seemingly absurd truth
- contradictionOpposing claims, incompatible together
- oxymoronSelf-contradicting phrase device
- antinomyContradiction between valid conclusions
- ironyMeaning opposite to words
koan · conundrum · enigma · inversion · reversal · twist · juxtaposition · counterpoint
State of being unanticipated
- astonishmentIntense sudden wonder
- bewildermentState of being baffled
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
- disbeliefRejection of truth claims
stupefaction · incredulity · jarring · startling · flabbergasting · dumbfounding · mind-bending · revelation
Fine distinction, easily missed
- nuanceSlight shade of difference
- intricacyState of elaborate complexity
- depthDistance below surface
- sophisticationCultured elegance and complexity
abstraction · esotericism · opacity · hiddenness · indirectness · obliqueness · counterexample · edge case
Absence of logic
- absurdityWildly illogical quality
- nonsensicalityMeaningless or illogical quality
- unreasonablenessLack of sound judgment
- incoherenceFailure to make sense
fallacy · senselessness · invalidity · unsoundness · speciousness · implausibility · incredibility
paradox
Seemingly absurd truth
- contradictionOpposing claims, incompatible together
- oxymoronSelf-contradicting phrase device
- antinomyContradiction between valid conclusions
irony · koan · conundrum · enigma · inversion · reversal · twist · juxtaposition · counterpoint · dichotomy
unexpectedness
State of being unanticipated
- astonishmentIntense sudden wonder
- bewildermentState of being baffled
- shockViolent sudden disturbance
disbelief · stupefaction · incredulity · jarring · startling · flabbergasting · dumbfounding · mind-bending · revelation · epiphany
subtlety
Fine distinction, easily missed
sophistication · abstraction · esotericism · opacity · hiddenness · indirectness · obliqueness · counterexample · edge case · exception
irrationality
Absence of logic
- absurdityWildly illogical quality
- nonsensicalityMeaningless or illogical quality
- unreasonablenessLack of sound judgment
incoherence · fallacy · senselessness · invalidity · unsoundness · speciousness · implausibility · incredibility
counterintuitivenessintuitiveness
Natural ease of understanding
obviousness · self-evidence · naturalness · predictability · common sense
counterintuitivenessclarity
State of being understandable
simplicity · comprehensibility · lucidity · accessibility · plainness
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