It’s possibly to use particle models or wave models to make predictions about photons, but believing a photon is both of those things is a separate matter, and is neither useful nor true—a photon is actually neither.
Truth is not beauty, so there’s no contradiction there, and even the impression of one disappears if the statements are made less poetic and oversimplified.
Mostly in the analysis of complex phenomena with multiple in(or barely)compatible frameworks of looking at them.
A photon is a wave.
A photon is a particle.
Love is temporary insanity.
Love is the most beautiful feeling you can have.
Etc., etc.
It’s possibly to use particle models or wave models to make predictions about photons, but believing a photon is both of those things is a separate matter, and is neither useful nor true—a photon is actually neither.
Truth is not beauty, so there’s no contradiction there, and even the impression of one disappears if the statements are made less poetic and oversimplified.