The whole collection · No. 8 of 36

Buridan’s ass

For decisions that won’t make themselves.

c.1340 · after Jean Buridan

Where it comes from

A donkey stands exactly halfway between two identical piles of hay and starves, with no reason to prefer either. It’s named after the fourteenth-century philosopher Jean Buridan, but it isn’t in anything he wrote. His critics invented it to make fun of him.

How to play it

Help the donkey decide. Try gathering more data first.

Pick it up

What it teaches (try it first)

When two options really are balanced, more analysis won’t break the tie. A small reason will, and the cost was the waiting.

Ask yourself. What decision are you still gathering data on, when what it needs is a choice?

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