Naman's Paradox: A Proposed Recursive Model of Perceived Prior Action and Collective Non-Action

Abstract

This paper proposes Naman’s Paradox, a conceptual model describing how an idea may fail to be pursued when individuals independently assume that someone else has already acted on it. If many people make the same assumption, the idea may remain unrealized despite being considered by numerous individuals. The model also contains a self-referential element: the same assumption could discourage someone from publishing or investigating the paradox itself. The paper examines this mechanism, distinguishes it from related concepts such as pluralistic ignorance, diffusion of responsibility, and multiple discovery, and discusses possible empirical tests. Naman’s Paradox is presented as a proposed conceptual framework rather than a proven psychological law. Its purpose is to make the formulation publicly identifiable, invite comparison with existing research, and encourage further discussion and investigation.