A starving and “thirsting” donkey, let’s call him Don.
A pail of water and a stack of hay, let’s refrain from naming them.
What will Donk do? Oh, and I forgot to mention that the pail and the stack are separate, with our friend Don being exactly in between. Welcome to the Buridan’s Ass (ha) paradox, just because I need to include the word paradox here otherwise you would be lost. And, cue the long paragraph on philosophy that no one wants to read but that I am writing anyway (ha again).
Buridan was a 14th century philosopher, whose literal ass does not quite relate to philosophy, and he used this paradox to disprove causation, rejecting determinism. Wait patiently for the definition of these words. A name you may be more familiar with is Leibniz, the inventor of half calculus. According to Leibniz’s “Principle of Sufficient Reason” (read in a snobby voice), every single action has a cause behind it, and the human brain can only choose the rational decision given a set of information through your senses. Assuming this view of the world, what are you, really, other than a mind stuck as a spectator, enjoying life as a thrill ride? What judgment could there possibly be, how could a spectator be criticized? How can you receive credit? How can you be blamed for your mistakes? Think of a computer, used to calculate every decision, based on natural preferences. Sadly, however, the world does not operate this way. Criminal justice and the death penalty places blame on the individual. This view may appeal to you, or may disgust you, or make you change your mind every few seconds, a resonating molecule.
For Buridan, Donkey disproves determinism, buridding some of this belief. If D (short for you know what) were true, then the donkey would be stuck between the two, unable to find a cause to choose which to consume first, and die like a dumb ass.
The alternative is that people have a will to choose, and are capable of random decisions. In this view of the vast, vulgar world, each person claims responsibility for their (synonym to, sounds basic otherwise) actions, but each has the capability to strive forward, onwards to praise and glory. It is terribly, drastically, life-changingly essential to know that Leibniz came after Buridan, which shows the directions that philosophy has moved in, although not necessarily better.
Which is better?
You choose (shocking).
Thanks.
Cheers.
Amazing.