Teach me about contradictions

[John V]

You can likely find a definition of contradiction which applies here, but I voted No. I view it as a general and specific statement on the same topic.

One statement may be more general than the other, but they contradict since both statements can't possibly be true.

Yes, that's why I first said that it can be a contradiction.

To me the issue is how a reasonable person would take the statements.

Suppose you're discussing driving and someone says, "I never speed."

Another time the person is discussing the time their child was very seriously injured or ill and says, "I drove 75 on the way to the hospital" (75 being speeding).

Technically, these two statements are contradictions.

What would you take away from them?

Personally, I'd assume that the never statement was a general rule of the person, but it could be overridden as necessary.

I wouldn't conclude that the person was a liar or delusional based on the contradiction.