One the people I admire most, the physicist Richard Feynman, once gave a lecture about science and religion in society. Feynman was no believer in miracles or divine intervention, but he saw no value in telling other people what they should believe. More important was that they think for themselves and learn to ask questions. Speaking about the holy site of Lourdes in southwestern France, where in 1858 a young girl claimed to see an apparition of the Virgin Mary, and which now attracts millions of pilgrims every year, Feynman observed: "It might be true that you can be cured by the miracle of Lourdes. But if it is true then it ought to be investigated. Why? To improve it." We might ask whether a person has to enter the grotto at Lourdes to get the full effect of its healing powers, or whether it's good enough to come close. If so, how close is close enough? Is the healing effect is as strong in the back row as it is in the first row? Is it good enough for a few drops of the spring water to be sprinkled on your forehead, or do you have to immerse yourself to get the full effect? Feynman concluded: "You may laugh, but if you believe in the power of the healing, then you are responsible to investigate it, to improve its efficiency." The same goes for decision-making. Research has made impressive contributions to many fields, but hasn't yet captured the essence of many real-world decisions. Our duty is to ask questions: How do decisions vary? What makes complex decisions different from the simple choices so often portrayed in experiments? The goal is to take the next step beyond what has become conventional wisdom--that people are prone to errors and biases--and to help you learn the keys to making great decisions. Excerpted from Left Brain, Right Stuff: How Leaders Make Winning Decisions by Phil Rosenzweig All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
