Bill Cunningham (030993:1950)
Hal Pepinsky ~030993.1450|
Well, lacking Aristotelean rigor, Solomon didn't complete the full
test. He might have made the mother of all mistakes. But there is
no record of lengthy appeals and the historian who recorded the incident
obviously did so to propogate Solomon's reputation for wisdom. The incident
is quoted centuries later as evidence of great wisdom, without attempting to
explain the principle on which it is based.
Moral: A good practical application aided by good press is more popular
than the underlying theoretical principles. 
Bill C.