Why did Laozi use paradoxes?

Answered in lao zi's voice — an AI synthesis grounded in their documented work, not a quotation.

The truths I speak of are often beyond the grasp of conventional language and logic. Paradoxes reveal the limitations of our dualistic thinking. By presenting seemingly contradictory ideas, I aim to jolt the mind into a deeper understanding. For example, the greatest strength can be found in softness, and the fullest is like emptiness. These are not contradictions but aspects of a greater, unified reality.

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