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Introduction

Buridan’s Ass refers to a Medieval paradox concerning the logic of rationality and freewill. It demonstrates the tension between formal and informal ways of thinking and the sometimes paradoxical consequences when this tension is ignored.

…a man, being just as hungry as thirsty, and placed in between food and drink, must necessarily remain where he is and starve to death. — Aristotle

The phrase is a parody of Jean Buridan’s philosophy of moral determinism. An Ass that is equally as hungry as it is thirsty is placed inbetween water and food, equidistant to each. Since the Ass is unable to choose which one to go to first, it will die of thirst and hunger.

Movie Time

A friend sent me the link to this short YouTube film which depicts a young man who is a (somewhat unsuccessful) gambler but learns that he’s about to become a father and has to change his ways.

My thoughts? A somewhat predictable storyline, but well made nontheless. Where the logic falls down is that not all gamblers lose. Some, such as Patrick Leitch, have become multi millionaires through betting on horse racing.

So is it gambling that is bad, are the bookmakers the enemy, or is it really a matter of individual choice, self discipline and basic hard work and talent? Should Leitch have stopped gambling at a young age? His bank account would say otherwise. That is the issue I have with those who preach that betting is evil – it’s not betting, it’s (some of) the idiots who do it. But they would be idiots whatever they did…

Anyway, more on the logic of gambling later. For now, here’s the movie.

Religion: An Excuse To Sop Thinking?

Professor Daniel Dennett offers his views on how religion offers people an excuse to stop thinking for themselves.

Dennett was also recently featured on the BBC, likening religion to the common cold. The common cold, of course, currently has no cure.

Anyone still feeling sneezy?

Is It Best To Solve Crime Or Prevent More?

The Dilemma Of The Sanford, FL Police Department

Following the recent death of Trayvon Martin, another similar case has come to light which has caused unrest amongst local communities and heaped pressure on the police department of Sanford, Florida.

In 2010, a masked gunman killed a 17 year old boy in the north side of the city in an apartment complex. When police found the boy, another boy was sitting next to the body. The police charged that teen with robbery and murder. Both boys were black.

The mother of the murdered 17 year old is appalled that important evidence was overlooked, including an eye witness stating that another person was responsible for the shooting. The boy found with the body was soon released, but no other arrest has been made in the case.
The mother, Ruffin, states that the police didn’t do their job. Her concern is understandable, considering the circumstances.

Ruffin says that she can see the similarities in her son’s case and that of Trayvon Martin. Trayvon was an unarmed teen gunned down by a neighbourhood watch volunteer, George Zimmerman. No arrest has been made in that case either. There was also no evidence to support that the shooting was necessary. Seems police just took Zimmerman’s word that he acted in self-defence under the Stand Your Ground law.

These two cases together have brought Sanford police’s competence into question, Ruffin says. But these aren’t the only things that are causing alarm. Not only was there no arrest in the Trayvon or Ruffin case, but police officers have been caught accepting bribes, demanding bribes, fabricating evidence and drawing their guns without reason within the past three years. All of this has caused outrage in the local community. The Martin case is now a national concern.

The local NAACP president in Sanford says that the department is notorious for mishandling investigations. They don’t follow leads or tips and don’t follow up with evidence. When a loved one of a victim asks if there has been any progress in their case, they are simply dismissed and not given any further details. The police department makes no headway at all in their cases, the president says.

Sergeant David Morgenstern, a police spokesperson for the Sanford department declined to respond to any of the allegations of their negligence. He says that there is no comment in response to the allegations.

The Sanford police department has made a name for itself nationally, since the Trayvon Martin case. Their alleged negligence is a topic of debate nationwide, with prominent social leaders, politicians and pundits stating that there was a grave injustice done in the Martin case, and that Zimmerman should have at least been arrested.

The investigation is now known as one of the sloppiest in history. The Prosecuting attorney has now confirmed that Zimmerman will not be seen before a Grand Jury, but that it does not mean an arrest will not be made. We have yet to see the arrest, so until then, community unrest is, and will continue to be, rampant.

Mahjong: A Game Of No Solutions

Mahjong is an ancient game that originated from China. The game is featured on some of the best free online gaming websites, and has been a popular game for many years. The original game is played typically with four people and is somewhat different from the online single player game that is available. The original Chinese version of the game involves one hundred and thirty six tiles being placed onto a table and then dealt equally between the players. The game then involves the rolling of a dice and the stacking of the tiles.

The modern online version is very different from this. The tiles are stacked in a certain way and the game involves taking away two matching tiles at a time until all the tiles are gone. This usually needs to be done within a time limit and can be quite challenging for the player. You are only allowed to take certain tiles away at a time, depending on where they are in the stack. For instance, you cannot touch a tile which is surrounded by other tiles and you must therefore take tiles away until you can get to that particular one.

The tiles are patterned with typical Chinese patterns, numbers, writing and flowers. This is much the same as the original game in that respect. There will typically be several of each exact tile and matching them can be difficult.

This game requires good observational skills to complete, however, if you do not complete it the first few turns, you will find that your observational skills improve with each turn. You will begin to notice the tiles quicker and will be able to recognise which tiles you can and cannot take away. This game is a great learning tool for children and adults and is a challenge that will be accomplished if you continue to persevere.

Mahjong has proved to be a fun, interesting, challenging and addictive game. Once you lose you will feel the need to keep playing until you do win. This is actually a useful quality that the game has because that drive to persevere is an important part of everyday life for everyone. Without that drive the world would be full of unmotivated underachievers because people would simply give up on the first hurdle. It is in our nature to be driven by success and goals, whether they have this intention or not. We are extremely complex beings who learn from everything that we do, including the games that we play.

If you are looking for a game that not only keeps your attention but also keeps you learning, Mahjong will be the game for you. This games is fun and is a useful way to increase your observational skills in an enjoyable way.