Decisions, contradictions, and dilemmas

I did my dissertation on decision theory.  It seemed a wonderful choice.  I am interested in all forms of education.  Wouldn't it be great if we could all learn to make better decisions?  In a sense, every moment of our lives is a decision or a potential one.  Should I be doing this now?  Should I do something else?  What else?

In writing this blog, I find that I recall things, think of ideas and questions, work at expressing myself.  In other words, it is a hobby and a form of activity.  I thought that along with other things I do, I would have my time pretty well filled.  It turns out that I do and, in a sense, I was right.  But I am surprised to find that on some days, I can find myself too busy and have time on my hands in the same day.   Having both too little and too much time is a contradiction.  Contradictions are often taken to mean something has gone wrong with the thinking or planning that led to the contradiction. 

Sometimes, I feel bored with being home and I think traveling is called for.  But then, I picture flat tires, icy roads, missed flights, travel expenses and travel does not seem like such a good idea.  So, at times, I don't want to be home and I don't want to be away from home.  I guess that is a dilemma.

I have heard of Buridan's ass, the poor donkey placed equally between a hay stack and a watering trough, who died of hunger and thirst since he could not bear to go to either resource instead of the other one.

Decision theory can lay out a method for charting the courses of action open to the decider and the consequences that have given probabilities of happening along with each action.  But the whole conception is very rational and analytic, far more so than most real decision situations.  I came across an interesting possibility the other day.  The book Better than Conscious: Decision Making, the Human Mind and Implications for Institutions edited by Engel and Singer says that some researchers have evidence that proper employment of our unconscious mind improves certain decision making.  I haven't had access to the book yet but stay tuned for further details.