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Morton’s Fork is a logical dilemma with two equally bad options. It is named after Lord Chancellor John Morton, who imposed high taxes on both wealthy and poor subjects. The dilemma can have interesting implications and is studied by mathematicians and human behavior experts. It is important to consider all options and find exceptions to the rule. Awareness of Morton’s Fork can help in discussions with people over whom one has authority.
Morton’s Fork is a logical dilemma where people are faced with two equally wrong options. You might think of it as “between the devil and the deep blue sea” as the saying goes. Unless the victim of the dilemma can find an exception, the outcome of the situation will most likely be undesirable, as there can be no good outcome from any of the choices facing the victim. Many people find themselves struggling with Morton’s Fork at some point in their lives.
This term is named after the Lord Chancellor John Morton, who worked in England under Henry VII. By Morton’s logic, wealthy subjects of the Crown obviously had money to spare for taxes, and poor subjects were clearly sitting on savings, so they could also bear high taxes. Rich and poor alike found themselves at the points of “Morton’s Fork,” paying high taxes.
Like many logical dilemmas, Morton’s Fork can have interesting implications. Sometimes it comes up in game theory, with the game of bridge actually having a move called “Morton’s Fork” after the dilemma that inspires it. Mathematicians and people who study human behavior are often interested in seeing how people respond to such dilemmas and how they rationalize their behavior if the outcome turns out to be as bad as expected.
When faced with two bad choices, it can be tempting to do nothing, but sometimes that is also a bad alternative. Sometimes, a more thoughtful consideration of options reveals an additional choice or a choice in the set of existing options that is less repulsive. It may even be possible to subvert the dilemma by finding or creating an exception to the rule. Being between a rock and a hard place is sometimes fixable if you’re willing to develop a hammer to crack away rock, in other words.
It can also be helpful to be aware of Morton’s Fork when having discussions or discussions with people over whom you have some authority. If people feel cornered by bad options, they can lash out, an outcome no one wants. Parents, employers, teachers, and others would do well to think about how they present options to their managers to assure them that there are choices to choose from and that people are willing to work to make those choices as palatable as possible.
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