Philosophical foundations of paradox research

As paradox is moving towards a meta-theory, research draws on its rich philosophical traditions. They include diverse fields, such as dialectics, existentialism, and logic, each emphasizing different aspects of paradoxes. However, discussions have mostly focused on single philosophical aspects, potentially leading to an incomplete and polarized view of paradox and hindering cross-fertilization. To better capture the richness of these foundational writings, this paper returns to the philosophical roots. First the main philosophical traditions and their insights into paradox are introduced. This is followed by an integrative framework, which links these foundational insights to paradox research in management. This shows how philosophical aspects are reflected in a paradox meta-theory and highlights avenues for future research.