mc pee pants
Many hundreds of years ago in a small Italian town, a merchant had
the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a moneylender. The
moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the merchant's beautiful
daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the
merchant's debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the merchant and
his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-
lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. He told
them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an
empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the
bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and
her father's debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble
she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.
But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into
jail. They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the merchant's
garden. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two
pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he
had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then
asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag. Now, imagine you were
standing in the merchant's garden. What would you have done if you
were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told
her? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag
and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order
to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.
Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with
the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between
lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved
with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she
chooses the above logical answers. What would you recommend to the
Girl to do?
the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a moneylender. The
moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the merchant's beautiful
daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would forgo the
merchant's debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the merchant and
his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-
lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter. He told
them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an
empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the
bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and
her father's debt would be forgiven. If she picked the white pebble
she need not marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.
But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into
jail. They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the merchant's
garden. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two
pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he
had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then
asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag. Now, imagine you were
standing in the merchant's garden. What would you have done if you
were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told
her? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag
and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order
to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.
Take a moment to ponder over the story. The above story is used with
the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between
lateral and logical thinking. The girl's dilemma cannot be solved
with traditional logical thinking. Think of the consequences if she
chooses the above logical answers. What would you recommend to the
Girl to do?
