How do you decide difficult questions?

[WhiteEagle]

How do you decide questions which do not have a right and a wrong answer, but instead only each have a different set of consequences?

I tried going with my gut on the last one I had to decide, but I had no gut reaction. I finally had to pick the one that seemed best.

What do you do

Thanks,
WhiteEagle

[gvblake22]

I think it would be best to look to the future and see how each action/consequence will play out in a week, month, year, etc and decide where you want to be. Not sure if this is that big of a decision (or if this is even a serious post), but that's what I suggest you do...

[Quakindude]

This is where your morals, ethics and values come in.

If you still have problems after applying your belief systems to the problem, then apply a heavier layer of societal norms and acceptable results.

I've met all kinds of people through out my travels. From murderers, by our standards, to thieves and swindlers to government entities to the average Joe.

Many of these folks felt absolutely nothing wrong with plying their trade or with killing someone simply because they were from a different tribe/religious group/social hierarchy. However, they were, to one degree or another, adaptable to whatever the social norm was or came to be. Those that do not conform to social norms are typically the criminals of that society.

I used the criminal element as an example only. I'm not implying that what you're considering has a nefarious intent to it.

When your own personal tuning fork doesn't hum, then follow the age old adage, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

Of course, laws as well as social norms should govern ones action(s) and decision making process.

[WhiteEagle]

It was a serious post, I need to know how to make these kind of decisions faster (I lost a good 20 minutes worth of swimming time and a good 30 minutes of reading time.) and with less pain (I got a headache from all the thinking I did.). Basically, I had to decide whether or not to tell Dad that I fainted on the way to work. (My blog has more on this incident.) It was a matter of privacy vs. Dad's opinion (he used to work in the health sector at an old folks' home) and experience. I decided to tell him in the end.

[Reloadron]

Originally Posted by WhiteEagle

It was a serious post, I need to know how to make these kind of decisions faster (I lost a good 20 minutes worth of swimming time and a good 30 minutes of reading time.) and with less pain (I got a headache from all the thinking I did.). Basically, I had to decide whether or not to tell Dad that I fainted on the way to work. (My blog has more on this incident.) It was a matter of privacy vs. Dad's opinion (he used to work in the health sector at an old folks' home) and experience. I decided to tell him in the end.

You tell your dad! Why? You tell your dad because there was likely a reason you fainted. Sometimes it amounts to nothing and sometimes it warrants looking into.

Ron

[Carl Martin]

Yes, it was a good thing to turn to your dad. Even though we don't always realize it when we're young (or don't want to admit it!), our parents really do have our best interests at heart.

For the future, if you are a person of faith, I suggest you study your religion's moral teachings to further develop your understanding of right and wrong and grow as a person of conscience.

Furthermore, underlying most religious moral teaching, is something that philosophers and theologians call "natural law" - a set of truths that constitute our humanity. The framers of our Declaration of Independence and Constitution used these principles as the basis of their writings on human rights and the proper role of government.

The master of Natural Law was, and still remains, Aristotle. In his book "Nicomachean Ethics" Nicomachean Ethics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia he asks the question "What does it mean to be human?", then based on what humanity is, proceeds to described the virtuous life. Not the easiest reading, but well worth the effort.

Carl

[Quakindude]

Originally Posted by WhiteEagle

It was a serious post, I need to know how to make these kind of decisions faster (I lost a good 20 minutes worth of swimming time and a good 30 minutes of reading time.) and with less pain (I got a headache from all the thinking I did.). Basically, I had to decide whether or not to tell Dad that I fainted on the way to work. (My blog has more on this incident.) It was a matter of privacy vs. Dad's opinion (he used to work in the health sector at an old folks' home) and experience. I decided to tell him in the end.

And you got some serious answers.

There's some things that shouldn't require the level of thinking you put yourself through. In other words, some things are a no-brainer. Things like any type of health issue, getting a speeding ticket while on your parents insurance, setting fire to the house, things of that nature.

[gvblake22]

Yeah, I agree, you should really discuss this fainting issue as it could lead to severe injuries or death to yourself or even someone else (say you are driving and run someone off the road).