The question asked isn’t just about a possible end to a life, but whether or not life is worth continuing. Hamlet, in the soliloquy, wrestles with the question of existence and uncertainty. Which is something we all must do. Which naturally brings us to baseball.

The familiar phrase “the tie goes to the runner” has been around since the game began. But this isn’t actually the rule. The defense must establish that first base was legally touched before the runner arrived. This was an especially important rule prior to the advent of instant replay. How do you resolve what appears to be a tie? What seems to be a tie isn’t proof that the runner won or lost. A failure to establish that the runner is out is not the same thing as establishing that the runner is safe. The uncertainty itself has a consequence. The game has to resolve the ambiguity somehow, and the rule is designed to prevent an outcome from being declared when the evidence cannot establish it.