ABSTRACT

The differences between contested and oxymoronic concepts need to be outlined by looking at the phenomenon of change, as perhaps and paradoxically the sole constant of life. To be able to verify the impact, namely whether essentially oxymoronic concepts may play a certain role in the advancement of human understanding, it is also important to consider how perception itself may have changed during human evolution. By contrast, the rhetorical figures known as oxymoron, enantiosis and paradox seem to perform precisely the opposite role – they tend to tie together apparently conflicting, incompatible or contradictory concepts, also known as antonyms. In line with the culture of contestation as restated by the significance of essentially contested concepts, duality is the point of departure for our perception of change. Good indicators for the perception of change and changes in perception, however, are provided by language as well as technology as applied in the fields of art, science as well as law.