different between trilemma vs polylemma

English

Etymology

The word is modelled on dilemma, with di- (“prefix meaning ‘two, twice, double’”) replaced by tri- (“prefix meaning ‘three’”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /t?a??l?m?/
• Rhymes: -?m?
• Hyphenation: tri?lem?ma

Noun

trilemma (plural trilemmas)

1. A circumstance in which a choice must be made between three options that seem equally undesirable or, put another way, in which a choice must be made among three desirable options, only two of which are possible at the same time.
2. (logic) An argument containing three alternatives, jointly exhaustive either under any condition(s) or under all condition(s) consistent with the universe of discourse of that argument, that each imply the same conclusion.

Coordinate terms

• dilemma (two options)
• tetralemma (four options)
• polylemma

Derived terms

• Agrippa's trilemma
• Lewis's trilemma
• Münchhausen trilemma
• trilemmatic

Related terms

• lemma

Translations

Further reading

• trilemma on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

English

Noun

polylemma (plural polylemmas)

1. A circumstance in which a choice must be made between multiple options that seem equally undesirable

Related terms

• dilemma
• trilemma
• quagmire

Anagrams

• malemploy