H. P. Grice's "Buridianum impicatum"

BURIDANIANUM IMPLICATUM. Buridan, Jean (c.1295–c.1358) French medieval logician and natural philosopher, born in Béthune, taught at the University of Paris. Buridan proposed a nominalist account of language in which universals have no real existence and an ontology that accepted only particular substances and qualities. His theory of propositions and discussion of paradoxes were the main features of his logic. He explained projectile motion in terms of impetus rather than through final causes, and his theory of action allowed freedom through deferring action in the absence of a compelling reason to choose what to do. His main works include Compendium Logicae (1487) and Consequentiae (1493). Buridan’s ass Metaphysics, philosophy of action The fourteenthcentury French philosopher Jean Buridan proposed that reasons determine our choice between two alternatives and that we will do what our reason tells us is best. To argue against this theory, a case was devised to the effect that a starving ass is placed between two haystacks that are equidistant and equally tempting. There is no more reason to go toward one stack than the other, without additional relevant information. Thus, according to Buridan’s theory, the ass would starve to death. This thought experiment has been influential in the discussion of free will and determinism. It is also related to the principle of indifference. But decision theory suggests that although the ass cannot decide which stack it should choose, it surely can decide between starving to death and having either of the stacks. “Buridan’s ass, which died of hunger being unable to decide which of the two haystacks in front of it happened to be superior, could have rationally chosen either of the haystacks, since it has good reason for choosing either rather than starving to death.” Sen, On Ethics and Economics