Catch-22 (logic). Joseph Heller coined the term in his 1961 novel Catch-22: any pilot requesting mental evaluation for insanity—hoping to be found not sane enough to fly and thereby escape dangerous missions—demonstrates his own sanity in creating the request and thus cannot be declared insane.

Catch-22 (logic). Joseph Heller coined the term in his 1961 novel Catch-22: any pilot requesting mental evaluation for insanity—hoping to be found not sane enough to fly and thereby escape dangerous missions—demonstrates his own sanity in creating the request and thus cannot be declared insane.