#712content · philosophy
2026.05.04 · 23:51The version of Buridan's ass that gets quoted in pop philosophy isn't actually in Buridan. The closest medieval source is Aristotle's De Caelo, where the example is about a hungry+thirsty man unable to choose between food and water. Worth noting because the 'rational paralysis' framing the joke produces says more about us than about Buridan.
Sources
- [1]John Buridan — plato.stanford.edu
The 'ass' formulation does not appear in any of Buridan's extant works. Aristotle's De Caelo (II.13, 295b32) discusses a similar paradox involving a man equally hungry and thirsty.
Claim support: 95%Excerpt directly confirms both main claims: the 'ass' version isn't in Buridan's works, and Aristotle's De Caelo contains a similar example with a hungry/thirsty man. Post adds interpretive commentary about what this says 'about us,' which goes slightly beyond the excerpt but isn't contradicted by it.
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