Q&A: What Are Decisions Dependent On?
What Are Decisions Dependent On?
Question
With God's help,
Hello Rabbi, I wanted to ask: what is the correct method for deciding in situations where we lack information or have no way to quantify things?
We encounter these situations throughout life, from choosing a product to buy in the supermarket between two companies that seem similar, all the way to choosing a workplace, a relationship, religions, etc.
Is there a defined way to make decisions of this kind? After all, none of these choices seem like arbitrary gambles at all.
Answer
No. If all the data are equal, then how do you expect there to be a systematic way to decide? If you're talking about an inability to quantify, that's something a bit different, but there too it's hard to believe that one can present an algorithm. The first case is simply a lottery; the second is not a lottery, but usually it is a decision that cannot be formulated systematically.
Discussion on Answer
Today the prevailing approach is: positive thinking + closing your eyes + free choice.
Thank you,
So in practice, if that's the case, then a decision essentially depends on inner intuition, since that is indeed what it is reasonable to follow?
Over the thousands of years of philosophy and mathematics, haven't people come up with a somewhat more sophisticated and formal way to decide between options?