Magazine content is available exclusively for TIME subscribers.Behavior: Decision Theory: Guide to Choice-Making
TO beleaguered man, life is an uphill obstacle course. Between the cradle and the grave stretches an endless multitude of problems, every one of which cries out for decision. At what moment is it safe for the pedestrian to challenge the hazards of wheeled traffic? If a picnic is scheduled for tomorrow, what are the odds against rain? By what mysterious standards does a man pick a friend, a pastime, a profession or a wife?
More often than not, human intelligence seeks to resolve these and a host of similar riddles by intuition alone....
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