Thinking Through Russell’s Paradox: Logical, Epistemological, and Pedagogical Transformations in Pre-Service Teachers

This study examines how the paradoxical structure of set theory introduced by Bertrand Russell affects the thinking skills and pedagogical awareness of pre-service teachers. Conducted within a qualitative research framework, the study involved 30 mathematics education students enrolled in the faculty of education at a public university. The participants engaged in a multilayered instructional process structured around Russell’s Paradox. Observation notes, individual reflection forms, group discussions, and focus group interviews were used as data collection tools, and the obtained data were analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings reveal that the paradox generated transformations in pre-service teachers at the levels of conceptual rupture, logical reorganization, and pedagogical awareness. It was observed that Russell’s Paradox became not only a theoretical logical construct but also a powerful learning tool that triggered epistemological inquiry. In this context, the study suggests that paradoxes may offer significant contributions to teacher education by fostering critical thinking, developing strategies for coping with contradiction, and supporting the construction of teacher identity.