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The author [of a "book-on-tape"] contends that we can either make decisions listening to true intelligence (our heart and gut) or rational thought. He suggests that when we think somethign to death or let our heads make the call -- we are not making good decisions. But, when we listen to our hearts/guts....that is where our true intelligence lies. And where good, healthy decisions come from.

What do you think?

I think the author is correct in the descriptive sense, but wrong in the prescriptive sense.

(OK, Bart, once more in simple English, please.)

Yes, we can make decisions based on how we "feel" about the issues. I think that's an accurate description of how some people actually behave. Where I think the author goes wrong is in prescribing that more people should behave that way; that decisions based on feelings and hunches tend to be objectively better than those based on reason and logic and facts.

I disagree... in part.

And I suspect my disagreement is based on my understanding of "decision-making." In my view, we don't just make decisions about what, we also have to decide how and where and when... and why. I think "what's the right thing to do" is a question properly decided in our hearts, but the others, I believe, are best decided through conscious thought.

Think about your position on human life in various situations: war, abortion, euthanasia. Imagine using only reason to decide the right principle to apply in those situations. Somehow I can't believe that basic principles of right and wrong are amenable to cold, clinical logic alone.

But on the other side, once you've decided the "what"--the right principle or goal--how do you best decide how to see that principle acted on in the real world? What's the best way to figure out the "how?" Can you imagine using your feelings to devise a tactical operation to free hostages trapped aboard an airplane? How about deciding what kind of car to buy, or to which school you'll send your child? Your gut may be sending signals, but where there are enough relevant facts to make sound logical decisions, how can you justify not using reason when deciding how to accomplish your goal? And if you wind up making a mistake, what can your gut (which already led you wrong once) tell you about why you screwed up that your reason can't do a much better job of explaining?

I think anyone who tells us that one mode of decision-making--whether reason or logic--is always better than the other is offering a false choice. Feeling and reason, IMO, are not always mutually exclusive. One motivates us, guides us, gets us to get off our butts and actually do something. And the other tells us how best to get it done, even if it takes us several tries.

Being human gives us two unique faculties: creative and critical. One is necessary to produce new things, the other is necessary to allocate finite resources most efficiently. I can't imagine succeeding in any human endeavor without using both human faculties.

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