How to make decisions

[iago]

It seems to me that when you make a decision, there are 4 factors:

Legal -- is it legal?
Utility -- will it bring me/everybody happiness?
Morality -- is it right?
Ethics -- is it acceptable?

For example: Should I run a stop sign at 4am?
Legal - $180 fine
Utility - I will get to my destination faster
Morality - ?
Ethics - ?

Can you think of any other factors when making decisions? 

[Hitmen]

When I make a desicion, I generally base it on these factors:
1. Laziness - Whether or not I have to stand up to acomplish it
2. Boredom - If I am extremely bored this one can sometimes override #1.
3. Reward - If I have to stand up, and I'm not extremely bored at the moment, it damn well better be worth it.
4. Monkey - Is there a monkey involved? Monkeys are freakin cool.

[Newby]

All of those (minus the monkey, slaves > monkeys) plus motivation. What reward comes out of doing it?

[iago]

Reward is the same as Utility. 

Laziness and Boredom aren't involved in making all decisions, just decisions for action.  That comes back to reward, which, again, is Utility. 

[Nate]

We have done this in Psychology.  You basically have the right idea, they are weighted differently/change at different points in life though.

[iago]

I wouldn't be surprised.  I mostly wanted to get this here so I could refer to it

We actually discussed this in Computer Ethics last week, on a very superficial level.  In fact, a few of the recent threads I've posted were based on discussions we've had in Ethics. 

[Sidoh]

It seems to me that when you make a decision, there are 4 factors:

Legal -- is it legal?
Utility -- will it bring me/everybody happiness?
Morality -- is it right?
Ethics -- is it acceptable?

For example: Should I run a stop sign at 4am?
Legal - $180 fine
Utility - I will get to my destination faster
Morality - ?
Ethics - ?

Can you think of any other factors when making decisions? 

Morality/Ethics on the stop sign question: what happens if there's someone else driving by at 4am?  You can never be certain.  Are you willing to risk harming them and/or yourself?  It's a very minute risk, but it's definitely there.

This is a pretty good categorizing of things you use to weigh decisions.  I think there is another that should be included, especially in the area of love:

Experience/Foresight -- What are some of the things that have happened to you in a situation similar to this?  How has the other entity interacting with you acted when you've done certain things that may somehow relate to the matter at question?  What, according to previous similar experiences, is a plausible expected outcome?

We have done this in Psychology.  You basically have the right idea, they are weighted differently/change at different points in life though.

Duh... everything's relative.

[iago]

Experience/Foresight -- What are some of the things that have happened to you in a situation similar to this?  How has the other entity interacting with you acted when you've done certain things that may somehow relate to the matter at question?  What, according to previous similar experiences, is a plausible expected outcome?

Good point.  I'll bring that up tomorrow, if I remember

[Sidoh]

Good point.  I'll bring that up tomorrow, if I remember

Hehe.  Thought of another one, too.  It ultimately ties back into utility (and all of the other categories, really), but it should be considered by itself too!

The Unknown -- How many things regarding this situation are unpredictable to some degree of certainty?  How cautious should you be about making this decision because of things that you are unable to consider?  How much should you compensate on any possible decision because of the indeterminable?