hello.. i came across a rather interesting email the other day.. i'll just post the entire thing out here.. i am also taking the liberty of posting the solution directly..
do comment though! cheers!
Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had
the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a
village moneylender. The moneylender, who
was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful
daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would
forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his
daughter.
Both the farmer 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.
All the villagers were standing on a pebble strewn
path in the farmer's field. 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 field.
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 can not be solved with traditional
logical thinking.
Think of the consequences if she chooses the above
logical answers.
do comment though! cheers!
Many years ago in a small Indian village, a farmer had
the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a
village moneylender. The moneylender, who
was old and ugly, fancied the farmer's beautiful
daughter. So he proposed a bargain. He said he would
forgo the farmer's debt if he could marry his
daughter.
Both the farmer 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.
All the villagers were standing on a pebble strewn
path in the farmer's field. 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 field.
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 can not be solved with traditional
logical thinking.
Think of the consequences if she chooses the above
logical answers.