Effects of Jean Buridan

The Theories of Jean Buridan

By: Katie McNeel

One of Jean Buridan's theories are linked to physics/ science. The theory's called "Buridan's Ass". He said there's a donkey standing between two huge haystacks. It's really hungry, but doesn't know which one looks more delicious. Since it can't decide which one to choose to eat first, it starves itself to death.

The Impetus Theory allowed motion in a vacuum (which Aristotle's theory did not). It explains that a body would still move after the thing that made it move was gone. Like whirling a mass tied to a string around your head. Also a body would be in a fluid. The body is the original force, but when the force stops the body still moves.

RESOURCES: The Web site that has PHY100F-The Magic of Physics and the Web site 'washington.edu' titled: "Jean Buridan" You could probably find more on Jean Buridan if you check out the Middle Ages in physics.