Heuristic

A heuristic technique (/hjʉˈrɪstɨk/; Ancient Greek: Εὑρίσκω, "find" or "discover"), sometimes called simply a heuristic, is any approach to problem solving, learning, or discovery that employs a practical methodology not guaranteed to be optimal or perfect, but sufficient for the immediate goals.

Description

Heuristics are strategies using readily accessible, though loosely applicable, information to control problem solving in human beings and machines.

Where finding an optimal solution is impossible or impractical, heuristic methods can be used to speed up the process of finding a satisfactory solution.

Mental shortcuts

Heuristics can be mental shortcuts that ease the cognitive load of making a decision.

Examples of this method include:

• A rule of thumb
• An educated guess
• An intuitive judgment
• Stereotyping
• Profiling
• Common sense

See also

• Artificial intelligence

External links

• Heuristic @ Wikipedia