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Full Idea
A rational donkey faced with two totally identical piles of hay would be unable to decide which one to eat first, and would therefore starve to death
Gist of Idea
A rational donkey would starve to death between two totally identical piles of hay
Source
report of Jean Buridan (talk [1338]) by PG - Db (ideas)
A Reaction
also De Caelo 295b32 (Idea 19740).
Related Idea
Idea 19740 A very hungry man cannot choose between equidistant piles of food [Aristotle]
| 16793 | A thing is (less properly) the same over time if each part is succeeded by another [Buridan] |
| 16576 | Science is based on induction, for general truths about fire, rhubarb and magnets [Buridan] |
| 16577 | Induction is not demonstration, because not all of the instances can be observed [Buridan] |
| 16678 | Without magnitude a thing would retain its parts, but they would have no location [Buridan] |
| 16726 | Why can't we deduce secondary qualities from primary ones, if they cause them? [Buridan] |
| 1403 | A rational donkey would starve to death between two totally identical piles of hay [Buridan, by PG] |