This strikes me as a strawman, but perhaps we can let it stand as a warning. Perhaps you wish to warn, "You may not be doing this, but be sure that you do not do this." This is fine as far as it goes, and I have said similar things:

Truth be told, PDE is an unwieldy principle. There are cases (such as the hysterectomy) where it seems to obviously apply, but it has often been noted that in other cases the principle can be easily abused. Our topsy-turvy discussion in the other thread got at some of the nuance involved.
— Leontiskos

This is the sort of ambiguity that seems to always follow the PDE, namely cases which are hard to decide. So this is in line with the tradition of the PDE, and I think it is good to recognize such limitations.
— Leontiskos — Leontiskos

Yup. We agree there, and that's basically what I mean with the story. It's just an introduction to a thought with a funny conclusion, not an argument or anything of that sort.

A more current but exactly the same example is Chidi from The Good Place :D

Now a parable is able to do what a rational argument could never do, and parables certainly have their place in ethics. Yet as I see it, this parable of yours stands, but only on one foot. In the world of parables, it feels a bit flat and one-dimensional, perhaps because its roots go no further than satire; its target has no more depth than the determinist or monomaniac.

The better parable as I see it is not Buridan's Ass, but Balaam's Ass. At times wisdom will speak through the beast, from the source it is least expected, and it will cut through the rationalizing foolishness of the rider. Granted, there is no good reason why Balaam's Ass cannot speak through Buridan's Beast (and yet we have now left syllogistic).

Lastly, I will point out that lessons and parables and warnings have their place, but of all things they are least helped by repetition. To beat the drum of a parable or a warning again and again does no good, especially if it stands only on one foot. It will tire and collapse, and lose what efficacy it might have had. Confusing the parable for a philosophical example causes it to fall prey to this form of repetition. — Leontiskos

(You often give voice to a tongue that should not be foreign to philosophy but is nevertheless opaque to the analytic philosophy that dominates English-speaking forums like this one. Your style of pacifism is a potent example. I am not averse to speaking in this tongue, but only rarely would I expect it to bear fruit in a place like this. It's hard to speak about parables in a place like this.) — Leontiskos

Thanks that's very high praise :) -- It's all just me working out my own thoughts that I'm willing to share, though, and it's part of what I consider to be in fair trade: I like to read others' thoughts, and so share in kind.

Parables are hard anywhere I think. What makes them difficult is what also makes them attractive. I'm very much attracted to stories, though, because I think they set out nuances better thanwell even though the difficulty is that the nuances aren't specified and there's a certain amount of interpretation that has to go into them.

I agree they cannot be counter-examples or examples, so much as stories which set out an idea. Sometimes that idea can be as powerful as Balaam's Ass. I think that a stronger story than Burridan's, at least :D -- at least for thems who like the old book, which I do when I can use it as a touchstone.

Though maybe the distinction is between the sublime and the humorous? Chidi Anagonye, at least, is a lot of fun to watch, and there's something to him that we can relate to (unlike the ass, since we'd surely not die but make a choice)

I never thought to interpret Balaam's Ass like that, though, which adds an interesting layer: "Get out of your head, dork!" is the kind of message I imagine which unites these. (EDIT: Not that I'd know anything about that... ;) )

Yup. We agree there, and that's basically what I mean with the story. It's just an introduction to a thought with a funny conclusion, not an argument or anything of that sort. — Moliere

Okay, fair enough. :up:

A more current but exactly the same example is Chidi from The Good Place :D — Moliere

I was told to watch it by all sorts of people but never did. :grimace:

Thanks that's very high praise :) -- It's all just me working out my own thoughts that I'm willing to share, though, and it's part of what I consider to be in fair trade: I like to read others' thoughts, and so share in kind. — Moliere

Makes sense.

Parables are hard anywhere I think. What makes them difficult is what also makes them attractive. I'm very much attracted to stories, though, because I think they set out nuances better thanwell even though the difficulty is that the nuances aren't specified and there's a certain amount of interpretation that has to go into them. — Moliere

Yep, and probably also because it is impossible to express all the nuance of certain things. In that case to even try is to show that you don't understand what you're dealing with.

Though maybe the distinction is between the sublime and the humorous? — Moliere

Yes, and that line can get fuzzy, too.

I never thought to interpret Balaam's Ass like that, though, which adds an interesting layer: "Get out of your head, dork!" is the kind of message I imagine which unites these. — Moliere

Haha - well the interesting thing about "the old book" is the presuppositions that are brought to it. I don't wish to reduce the value to those presuppositions, but when a text is approached as sacred or inspired it eo ipso comes to possess an unmatched power to express nuanced ideas, such as parables. This is something like Kierkegaard's idea that the believer measures himself against the infinite, and for that he stands taller.

I was told to watch it by all sorts of people but never did. :grimace: — Leontiskos

I recommend it if you're in the mood for a comedy which dances across various philosophical distinctions in constructing a plot, as one does ;)

It's good! check it out!

Yep, and probably also because it is impossible to express all the nuance of certain things. In that case to even try is to show that you don't understand what you're dealing with. — Leontiskos

Yeh.

Though every once and again a bright idea pops up.

well the interesting thing about "the old book" is the presuppositions that are brought to it. I don't wish to reduce the value to those presuppositions, but when a text is approached as sacred or inspired it eo ipso comes to possess an unmatched power to express nuanced ideas, such as parables. — Leontiskos

Heh. I call it "the old book" because I'm not comfortable calling it the good book. But that is part of my presuppositions that I'm bringing to it.

I don't know if it's sacred or inspired, but I definitely see its poetic value -- which in my way of looking at the world is a very high place to put it, though my understanding might disappoint some interpreters.

But the parables are great touchstones I think just by virtue of how the book is treated. In some sense its poetic value is derived from how it's treated, to dovetail with your:

This is something like Kierkegaard's idea that the believer measures himself against the infinite, and for that he stands taller. — Leontiskos