WEDNESDAY'S WORD - HEURISTIC - 12/30/2020- Sadell Bradley

 

WEDNESDAY'S WORD HEURISTIC 12/30/2020 "This is the essence of intuitive heuristics: when faced with a difficult question, we often answer an easier one instead, usually without noticing the substitution. " - Daniel Kahneman - "Thinking Fast, and Slow" Lots of decisions are made as years transition. Some are as simple as choosing to exercise, others are more complex, like whether or not to take the COVID-19 vaccine. We're constantly bombarded with major and minor decisions, so we subconsciously use HEURISTIC methods to make some of them. This technique helps us come to solutions by trial and error based on information from our prior experiences. We have 'rules of thumb' by which we operate. Mental shortcuts help us make quick decisions with little effort. Heuristics helps us preserve mental energy on things like choosing food from a menu, so that we have enough for more important, complex decisions. Click here for an interesting explanation of HEURISTICS. TAKE. YOUR. TIME. Sometimes we try to use HEURISTIC methods on decisions that require more time, prayer, and investigation. Though heuristics help with speed, they can be detrimental to accuracy. Sometimes our experience base is too narrow— a new, different, or more nuanced answer requires more thoughtful deliberation. To forsake a heuristic approach can be particularly challenging as so much of our decision making is heuristic. For those who make their decisions based on intuition as opposed to data, or for others who are accustomed to acting first and asking questions later it's even more difficult. It's possible in 2021 that some of your choices will require more effort, logic, and guidance of the Spirit. Proverbs 19:2 says, "It is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily makes poor choices." THE EASIEST ANSWER IS NOT ALWAYS RIGHT. Here's an example of how heuristic thinking can fail us. “Emily’s father has three daughters. The first two are named April and May. What is the third daughter’s name?” When we look at this question our intuitive answer is going to be ‘June’. This is often people’s initial thought when they read the question as they are trying to follow the pattern of the question and have fallen into the trap. The considered question's answer is actually ‘Emily’. The third daughter can only have this name as it states in the question that ‘Emily’s father has three daughters.’ King Solomon warns us not to use heuristic impulsivity when approaching the things of God, "Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few." (Ecc.5:2) May 2021 be a year of deliberate, conscious, intentional, fully considered, decisions. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!