One of the most common decisions we face while driving is the dreaded yellow or orange light! The indecision here is not the color by the way!
Did you know that the same indecision has been studied and faced by a Donkey!
Now the paradox called Buridan’s ass!
And no! The donkey’s name is not Buridan!
Buridan’s ass is an illustration of a paradox in philosophy in the conception of free will. It refers to a hypothetical situation wherein an ass that is equally hungry and thirsty is placed precisely midway between a stack of hay and a pail of water.
The donkey will always go to whichever is closer, it dies of both hunger and thirst since it cannot make any rational decision between the hay and water if the supposed distance between them is the same!
The paradox is named after the 14th-century French philosopher Jean Buridan. Other philosophers have also discussed the concept before him, notably Aristotle, who put forward the example of a man equally hungry and thirsty!
If you thought that only the ass is indecisive then you are mistaken! We are also like the ass many times!
There are some experiments and examples!
In a study called the the Jam Study when presented with either 6 or 24 varieties of jam, customers were more likely to approach the table with 24 options. However, they were also more likely to actually purchase a jar of jam when presented with only 6 options. This highlights how an abundance of choices can lead to indecision and ultimately inaction, even when the desired outcome is to make a purchase!
Another dilemma which we face day to day as told above is the traffic light dilemma!
This case happens when a driver hesitates at a yellow light, unsure whether to stop or proceed. The driver might waffle between the two options, ultimately making a decision by either slamming on the brakes thus risking a hit on the back or speeding through the intersection, potentially running a red light risking a hefty fine! Which is why the best situation is either red or green!
There are several other examples like people trying to improve their fitness might be torn between joining a gym or going for a run, and indecision could lead to them doing neither which is the case most of the time!
It can be also as simple as washing your ass or ‘bottom’ this time! The environmentally conscious is torn between saving water or saving paper! Let us just hope that he or she makes the decision on time!
Now if you thought it can happen only to living things well, you are wrong! There is something called the Metastability in Digital Electronics!
Now metastability is a state where a circuit cannot decide between two states, similar to Buridan’s ass. This can lead to errors if the circuit spends too long in this undefined state!
Then again there is no indecision when it comes to wishing and being proud of those who protect our nation!
Like our dear war veterans! One of them is Captain Vikram Batra PVC! A big salute to him and others on the Kargil divas! We are so proud of you!
Jai Hind!
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