====== Mu ======

A term borrowed from [[wp>Zen Buddhism]] that can be used as an avoiding answer on [[wp>Yes–no question|yes–no questions]] to avoid a possible [[rhetorics:false_dilemma|false dilemma]], e.g. when it is based on false premisses.

Semantically it is comparable to answering “neither is true”, as in:

> //Do you have a sister or a brother?//
> //Neither.//

===== Name =====

The Japanese word “mu” (Kanji: <span :ja>無</span>, Hiragana: <span :ja>む</span>) describes the absence of something. It may be translated as “nothing” or “without”. It is also a central concept in the philosophy of [[wp>Zen]] where it is used to show the limitations of a [[wpde>Dualism|dualist]] world-view.

As a logical concept, it was made popular in the Western world by [[wp>Douglas Hofstadter]]’s book “[[wp>Gödel, Escher, Bach]]”.

===== See also =====

  * [[rhetorics:false_dilemma|False dilemma]]

===== More Information =====

  * [[wp>Mu (negative)]] on //Wikipedia//

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