The Center of Gravity, the Decision Making Processes, and Numerical Methods

Review: A solid object in a locally quasi-constant gravitational field has a center of gravity. If this object rests on a planar surface, gentle lateral movement will result in the object continuing to rest on the surface so long as center of gravity remains (directly) above the surface. But the moment the center of gravity passes the surface's edge, the object will begin to, irrevocably, fall. A coffee cup standing on a table will remain a tasty beverage container so long as at least half of it (mass-wise) stands over the table. But a fraction of a gram more, it will fall and ruin a potentially beautiful cup of java.

The general categorization of such phenomena is called the equilibrium tipping point. One discrete state of equilibrium, slightly disturbed, returns not to the original state but a new state.

While the decision making process of the right side of the brain remains not yet well understood (except possibly for a few trained experts), the decision making process of the left side of the brain is well known and may be conducive to generalization. Consider the estimation of area of a complex shape. In general, the area may be effectively incalculable analytically, or take a significant skill in calculation. However, any area may be approximately tiled with sufficiently small squares of known area. You count the squares, you get the area. Survival decisions, such as the required force to toss a stone in variable wind conditions necessary to fell an approaching predator, while analytically prohibative, can be made very quickly using a neural network running simple arithemetic calculations and Monte Carlo methods. The bearers of grey matter insufficient (statistically) to affect positive results are not our ancestors; they were buried under the foot of history.

Decisions are similarly made. A feedback cycle stretches aross the corpus collosum. With particular beginings and ends arise from sub-threshold noise or born from environment, discrete possibilities are calculated and analytically reduced according to the ability and psychology of the being. We define a decision to be an event that occupies our mind, awareness, the hubris of the empty vassal kneeling in the cortex discarding the micro-choices for which our neurons endlessly fire, sustaining us, sending the signals to breath, to pump blood, to that biologic stuff beneath the seat of conciousness.

Fracture of interest across perceived desirable outcomes leads to countable neuron firing events. In the case where one outcome has a definitive majority, the decision never rises to conciousness. In other cases, the story, as narrating by the right side of the brain, engrained with emotional reaction, leads rise to calculation of perceived probabilities and gauges of prosperity. The choosable possibilities are translated into neural causes, each dictated to vote by their station in information flow.

Rationality, or otherwise, controls the pondering of decisions which must be implemented at a definative point and acted upon. Until then, factors may be considered, reconsidered, refining information such that the beaureacrats may shift their stance depending the tide.

Pending circumstances, the brain may become trapped in the cycles of information, deciding by refusing to make a decision. In these cases, brought about by natural deficiencies or through the perceived tipping back and forth of patterns, the center of gravity becomes fuzzing, perching at a threshold but refusing to fall