Many years ago in a small village, a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, was very interested in the farmer's beautiful daughter, and so he offered a deal.
The moneylender said he would forgive the farmer's debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal, so the cunning moneylender suggested that they let fate 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 would not have to marry him and her father's debt would still be forgiven.
But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown in jail.
They were standing in the farmer's field on a path covered in pebbles. While 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 that 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 tell 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.
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 that the girl do?
(The girl's choice will be revealed in the next post.)
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