Is there a “correct” choice in every situation if the “situation” itself is subjective, shaped by our perceptions of reality? PT.1

We navigate our lives under a quiet assumption: that for every dilemma, a "right" answer exists, waiting to be found. But this belief rests on the idea that the situations we face are stable and objective. What if they are not? What if the very frame through which we see a problem, our personal, subjective reality, is what defines the choices within it? This question pulls us into a profound inquiry spanning metaphysics, mathematics, and decision theory, challenging our core concepts of truth, responsibility, and free will.

The Prism of Perception: How We Construct Our Reality

Metaphysics has long interrogated the nature of what is "real," suggesting that our grasp of any situation is never a perfect reflection of the world, but a unique construction. As Professor Jessica Collins, whose work expertly bridges metaphysics, mathematics, and decision theory, suggests, our perception is a deeply personal lens. No two people experience an event identically; our histories, biases, and hopes color the facts. Therefore, the "situation" itself is not a fixed point but a variable interpretation. If our choices emerge from these subjective landscapes, can we ever point to a single one and declare it objectively "correct"?

The Illusion of Mathematical Certainty

In contrast to the messy realm of human experience, mathematics stands as a bastion of objective truth-a system of pure logic and universal constants. It offers decision models that promise an optimal path, a calculable "best choice." Yet, as Professor Collins argues, this is an elegant illusion. Mathematical models are idealized frameworks; they are maps, not the territory. While powerful for identifying patterns, they often fail to capture the textured, ambiguous reality of a lived moment. When one person's "gain" is another's "loss," and when the very parameters of a problem shift with perspective, the mathematical optimum becomes a relative, not an absolute, truth.

Decision Theory in a Subjective World

Traditional decision theory provides a toolkit for "rational" choice, built on assumptions of objective situations and consistently logical actors. Collins' research unsettles these foundations. She demonstrates how cognitive biases and personal framing dictate the choices we even perceive as available. What one person frames as a risk, another sees as an opportunity; the "rational" choice is entirely context-dependent. This reveals a radical idea: the "correct" choice may be inextricably linked to the individual's internal world. It is not found in an external standard of truth, but in the coherence of the choice with one's own perceived reality and values.

In the end, the search for a universally "correct" choice may be a philosophical mirage. A more productive, and perhaps more honest, pursuit is to strive for authentic choices-ones that are conscious, consistent with our own understood reality, and accountable to the consequences they create.