Question

In many situations I find myself endlessly wavering between options on important and critical matters in life, and also in simple everyday situations, without being able to decide what is right until “something happens on its own.” It’s impossible to tell what is intellectually right, what is logical, what comes from emotions, from imagination, and so on. I don’t think this is just my personal problem; rather, it happens to every person, but the intensity of the confusion depends on his capacity for thought and imagination (if they are very strong, it will be harder for him). I’m asking: 1. Is it even possible to direct one’s life according to reason and logic? Can we rely on our power of judgment and thought? 2. How do you know whether I made a considered decision or an impulsive one stemming from emotions? After all, even my intuition that I made a considered decision is no different from a “feeling,” certain as it may seem. If there’s no way to know, then isn’t the statement that “you have to make considered decisions” a bit empty of content? 3. You could say that we should go with what seems reasonable, even if there’s no certainty. But what do you do when the options are genuinely evenly balanced? 4. If it’s clear to me that emotions and imagination mess with our minds, how can we still have confidence in this lukewarm “reasonable” judgment? Why should we believe it? 5. Maybe the obvious conclusion is that we have no way of knowing anything, except for our instincts.