Buridan's Ass
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The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.
Buridan’s Ass
ASS, a story ascribed to Buridan about a don-key that could not decide between two absolutely identical piles of hay and was doomed to starvation by his indecision. Metaphorically, an indecisive person.
The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Buridan’s ass
placed exactly between two equal haystacks, could not decide which to turn to in his hunger. [Fr. Philos.: Brewer Dictionary, 154]
See: Dilemma
Allusions—Cultural, Literary, Biblical, and Historical: A Thematic Dictionary. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.