Subject: FW: Lateral thinking
> > Old one... but a really good read....
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
> > 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 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 blackpebble 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 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 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 girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble.
Without
> > looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn
path
>where
> >
> > it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles. "Oh, how
clumsy
>of
> > me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one
>that
>is
> >
> > left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."
> > Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had
>picked
> > the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his
>dishonesty,
> > the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an
extremely
> > advantageous one.
> >
> > MORAL OF THE STORY: Most complex problems do have a solution. It is
>only
> > that we don't attempt to think.
> >
> > Old one... but a really good read....
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------
> > 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 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 blackpebble 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 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 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 girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble.
Without
> > looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn
path
>where
> >
> > it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles. "Oh, how
clumsy
>of
> > me," she said. "But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one
>that
>is
> >
> > left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked."
> > Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had
>picked
> > the white one. And since the money-lender dared not admit his
>dishonesty,
> > the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an
extremely
> > advantageous one.
> >
> > MORAL OF THE STORY: Most complex problems do have a solution. It is
>only
> > that we don't attempt to think.
> >
