Buridan's Ass

Paradox

Choice cannot be determined by reasoned preference alone.


Traditional

An ass standing equidistant between two equal heaps of grain of identical quality will starve to death.

This is supposedly because there is no grounds for preferring one heap to the other.


Modern Setting

A fireman cannot decide which of two identical properties to save first, and so loses both.


Resolution

This is a falsidical paradox.


The reasoning has two weak points:

$(1): \quad$ It is practically and realisatically impossible to design a system in which such perfect equality can exist.
$(2): \quad$ Even if it is possible to create a system whereby it is not possible to make such an example of perfect equality, there are other ways of making choices.
The traditional technique for making such an arbitrary decision is just to toss a coin.

$\blacksquare$


Also known as

is also known as Buridan's donkey, particularly in cultures in which the word ass is often used as a slang term for a body part.


Also see

  • Definition:Unstable Equilibrium


Source of Name

This entry was named for Jean Buridan.


Historical Note

The supposed paradox of was first raised by Aristotle.

Despite its name, it does not appear in any of Jean Buridan's extant writings.

The attribution is as a result of Buridan's supposed refutation of this by means of a counterexample.


Sources

  • 1989: Ephraim J. Borowski and Jonathan M. Borwein: Dictionary of Mathematics ... (previous) ... (next): Buridan's ass
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