Doesn't "expecting the unexpected" make the unexpected expected?

Answer 1

Um...no. See, expecting the unexpected merely means that you're guessing something's going to happen. You don't know what's going to happen; you just know it's going to happen. It's like the end of the world. According to *some* people, the end of the world is near. They expect it. But they don't really know what's going to happen. Another example. I could be going home from school, expecting something to happen. However, I didn't know that a UFO would descend upon my head and abduct me - I just had a premonition. Hope this answers your question.

Answer 2

Well, this is an interesting point. Clearly if you are expecting the unexpected then the unexpected must by definition be expected but in order for it to be expected the specific event itself must be unexpected in nature or it would not have been what you were expecting and therefore it would be expected rather than the unexpected you were expecting.

So to sum things up, if the event itself is unexpected then it is the expected unexpected event you were expecting, if however it is an expected event then you may or may not have been expecting it in which case it could be unexpected.

I hope that's cleared things up for you.

Answer 3

Expecting the unexpected does not necessarily make it expected in itself, although expecting the unexpected may cause the unexpected to happen--so if expecting the unexpected, one must always be prepared to for the unexpected that may be expected to occur.
Ultimately in expecting the unexpected, one can never know what to expect--much like carrying an umbrella on a perfectly cloudless day.
So if nothing else if one carries an open umbrella there is a possiblity that though it may not rain, the umbrella may protect against the unexpected deposit of bird poo on one's head.
So, expectations are no exception, they are simply a precautionary attitude toward the unexpected.

Cheeky

"What the hell did I just say?"

Answer 4

No because you dont know WHICH unexpected event to expect
example In diagnosing a sick person the medical/nursing staff is taught and is aware it could be a totally unexpected disease or condition, but yet they can still choose the worng diagnosis and miss the expected unexpected.

Answer 5

this is a trick question! the expected & unexpected cannot coexist of the same subject.

if the unexpected is expected, then it is not unexpected. If the phrase is to be taken literally, then it has impossible logic.

Answer 6

Not at all because you have no idea what the unexpected is. You may think you know what the unexpected is, but it turns out to be something completely unexpected.

Answer 7

Not really. It sets up an environment of possibilities. It means you stop looking for specific things and look at a wider range of options.

You don't know what to expect specificly but you do tend to look for things you might not have planned for otherwise.

It is quite similar to the motto of being prepared.

It is a matter of taking the finite framework away and allowing for a theoretically infinte range of possible occurances.

Of course there is always the Spanish Inquistion because ....

NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISTION!!!!! :-)

( I just had to include that )

Answer 8

Um no, well because you were expecting it and if you were expecting it how can it be unexpected

Answer 9

I don't expect that the unexpected will become expected.

Answer 10

Of course it does! Now don't say it again before my head explodes!

Let me test this:
Expect unexcpected?

false = true
true = false
on = off
off = on
0 = 1
1 = 0

Woah! You're talking about mathematics beyond our universe! 0 cubed travelling at the speed of light cubed reverts to 1 inverts to 0! Check it out:
http://www.treeincarnation.com