Do you based your decisions on logic or emotions? Why?

Question

abc3643 · Accepted Answer

We MUST use both.

This is hard to explain so, if you don't get it, don't be hard on yourself.

A brain/mind is like a control system. Ever heard the phrase "in the loop"? Like "Bob wasn't in the loop about making that decision." That comes from something called a control loop.

Basically, a control system works like this:
You have "What I want.".
But there is also "What I have." (and a "What I think I have." but that's not important right now).
In a control system, you want to try to turn "What I have" into "What I want".
When there's a difference between the two, that's called "error" and you decide what to do to make that error go to zero and then act on it.

Here's an example:
You are driving your car... You see the lines in the road and any cars around you.
What do you want?
To stay between the lines.
To not crash into anything else in the road.
So, here you are driving along on a straight road and then the road starts to turn to the left...
Your eyes are sensors that detect the change in the road. Well, you want to stay between the lines, so your brain says "turn steering wheel counter-clockwise" which, through the steering linkages in the car, causes the tires to aim to the left and the car turns to the left and you successfully stayed between the lines.
The "loop" here involves your eyes. They "feed back" what the road situation is to your brain so it can access what the "error" is and then you make a decision what to do to stay between the lines. You are "controlling the car" so it stays between the lines.

OK, now, here's another example:
You live in New York and you need to travel to Los Angeles.
So, what do you do?
Well, that depends on a lot of things...
You can drive.
You can fly.
You can take trains.
You can walk or bike.
You can hitchhike.
Which one do you choose and why? Indeed, can't you do a mix? like fly to Chicago then take a train to Los Angeles?

OK, so what you are trying to do is to get to LA... you are controlling that trip.
Well, if you have to get to LA, ASAP, then you fly.
Or, if you don't have much money, maybe you hitchhike and beg for food on the trip.
Or, what about this? You want to get to LA ASAP but you also want to minimize how much money you spend to do it.
How do you decide?
In this example, you have two objectives:
Get there as quickly as possible.
Spend as little money as possible.
Unfortunately, these are mutually exclusive, so you have to "weight" these objectives. Which is more important and by how much.
Well, maybe a loved one is on their deathbed, so money doesn't matter (now) and you get an expensive ticket to get their ASAP.
Or, maybe you want to get there within a week, but are trying to spend less than $500 to travel, so maybe you wait and take a cheap flight on Saturday.
It doesn't matter...
What matters is that you have to choose the "best" way to "control" your trip to Los Angeles. How do you do that "weighting" of conflicting objectives?

And now things are coming full circle...

In the human decision process (which is really just a control system), your emotions affect how you weight your actions.

For instance, let's say you are driving and want to get to where you are going quickly. But then you bladder or rectum says "You need to go the bathroom." You feel physically unpleasant and that affects you emotionally and eventually your brain say "I can't take it anymore!" so you pull over at the next rest stop and go to the bathroom. After having done that, you are emotionally relieved so getting back on the road to get to where you are going as quickly as possible becomes the higher priority objective, so you get back on the road and drive.

Do you understand? Your emotions MUST affect your decision making process because they weight different actions. Logic is great for helping you decide about actions, but your emotions are equally important because they give you purpose and are "tie-breakers" among otherwise equal alternative choices of what to do.

JustinTheGreat · Accepted Answer

I think it depends what exactly the decision is.

People always think having opinions or making decisions off of emotion is always a bad thing. But with certain topics, thinking with emotion and empathy is important

Screenwriter · Accepted Answer

Serious decisions should be a combination of the two.

Doesn't matter if you make a snap decision to buy a $75 Igloo cooler because you're headed for a fishing vacation and you need one right away. You didn't look up the specs or quality on Consumer Reports because it was a RIGHT NOW decision.

Does matter if you don't think through why you might decide to couple with a guy who wants to marry you. What's the pluses or minuses in your relationship? How well do you jell? What are your likes and dislikes compared with his? What are the longterm goals you've discussed?

You don't want to head to divorce court, so a heap of logic and some emotion should precede that decision. You're not getting a cooler for a weekend fishing trip.

So it's the WEIGHT of what you're deciding on that makes one lean toward logic or emotion in a decision.

purplepoppy · Accepted Answer

Both. There's no point in choosing the logical option of it's going to make you miserable. I would also argue that emotions are logical or evolution would have got rid of them.

Logic is good for long term planning but you deny yourself those important short term pleasures. I know it's more logical to eat a healthy salad than a tub of ice-cream or to invest money rather than blow it on a holiday.

Account · Answer

On a whim. Anything I have made on a whim based on pure intuition, had better results than the decisions I have made based on anything else. I don't know why.

AviatorTom · Answer

For most decisions, 75% logic and 35% emotion.

Crimsyjo · Answer

If something triggers my emotional then emotion takes over 100%. Like... I'm not gonna get emotional about where I get a tyre changed or what groceries I should buy for the week so logic is easy. But if I'm deciding whether to go out for the night because I'm sad or lonely or bored then those emotions are gonna make me wanna choose to go out even if logic says an early night would be more beneficial!

jshm2 · Answer

Neither. Facts and experience. FTW!

The problem with logical thinking is that it only works within known parameters. Which often real life doesn't. It's why suicides rates are high among young professionals

The problem with emotional thinking is that it tries to encompass as much as possible as quickly as possible. Often causing mental overload. Which is why murder and crimes are often committed in an emotional state.

D_Bone_Steak · Answer

Emotions are for fags. I manipulate emotions to get pussy, and to piss people off on purpose... ya fucking pussies. I have emotions, not psychopathic, but I control them.

Making decisions based on emotion is weak and pathetic. That emotional decision maker gets the shit beat out of them and piss on by more than one beater in the end.

Sure, emotional mixed with logic can get pretty strong like Hitler did... but in the end... You get what you fucking deserve.

IslaTheWitch · Answer

I always gather all possible data and analyze it... but in the end, I have to feel good about the decision, so I listen to my instincts and my emotions...

RingOfFire · Answer

Logic logic logic. I have a lifetime of experience making decisions and know from that experience that there is a far better chance of making a good decision using logic rather than using emotions.

Mwolf · Answer

75% logic 25% emotion. Don't let exes having you let yourself go and never dating again, don't let murderers run free!🤣

Josey29 · Answer

I think everyone needs to use the logical side of their brain to form a cohesive sentence... but, I mostly work from my emotions!

Anonymous · Answer

a lot of people will say they're logical but their voting patterns will say otherwise

this can be further reinforced when you question their logic and they respond with emotions e. g. insults and slander

RavVid · Answer

I only make decisions after any emotional response to circumstances has gone. Then I make a coldly rational decision.

Agape93 · Answer

Depends. Mostly logic because emotional choices make things messy.

NathanDavis · Answer

it is mostly, and usually... a 50/50 sort of balance, for me

4ngelic · Answer

depends on the decision. but i'd say a bit of both

Nikki1989 · Answer

Different decisions have different thought processes.

bolverk · Answer

My decisions are made on logic 90% of the time due to my training as an engineer, but with my being left handed I have a tendency to come up with different solutions to my right handed collogues.

exitseven · Answer

Mostly logic. If I am really angry all bets are off.

Cripplingkingship · Answer

I like to try to make more decisons on logic, however sometimes the stupid decision are based on emotions.

Babygirl_S · Answer

Emotion which is why I’m not the most successful I’ll ever be.

WhitneySnow · Answer

Emotion but I use logic to execute those decisions

Anonymous · Answer

I try to always base it on logic. But I'm human. It's kind of impossible to engineer the emotion out of interactions with other people. But I try to control my emotions as best I can. Because feelings generally do not benefit anything.

elaphe · Answer

Using your emotions to make important decisions is bound to get you in trouble. This is why people do things like stay in abusive relationships and buy houses they can't afford.

bobby_bush_eater · Answer

I try to do it based on logic, I've certainly improved, in HS I was pure emotion, that didn't take in the military lol

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Totally depends the circumstance.  Some are logical based and other emotional based.

Bklynbadboy12 · Answer

Most time logic but sometimes my emotions get the best of me

Anonymous · Answer

It depends on circumstances, but in general I would say 90% logic and 10% emotion.

Shy_Steve · Answer

Mostly logic, Sometimes i make my decisions on Emotions when logic gives me the freedom to.

Anonymous · Answer

All I know is that Democrat voters, AKA Demtards make their decisions based on their emotions, and based on what the leftist fake news media propaganda tells them. These people are dangerously retarded.

Kori1236 · Answer

85% logical 15% emotional

Fireguy17 · Answer

yes, being human I tend to do both.

ChicoFromThe305 · Answer

Logic, I can be pretty annoying with it too 😂

Phoenix98 · Answer

Mostly logic.

Jennz6 · Answer

I don’t know if I’m logical

Dongie · Answer

A flowing mix of what's drawn on.

LiamJHayden · Answer

Primarily logic.

MoonFace2 · Answer

Both.

Anonymous · Answer

I’m a republican soooooo common sense

jahaims · Answer

Both

CVNT5 · Answer

I based them on both

Cheerfull009 · Answer

On logic

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