Heuristic Rule (Noun)
Meaning
A commonsense rule (or set of rules) intended to increase the probability of solving some problem.
Classification
Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents.
Examples
- A doctor might use a heuristic rule such as "treat the most obvious symptom first" when dealing with an unknown illness.
- A police detective uses a heuristic rule of questioning the spouse first when investigating a domestic crime scene.
- To save time in searching for a job, John applied a heuristic rule by targeting only the top companies in his industry.
- In financial investing, one heuristic rule is to "cut your losses" and sell any stock that falls below a certain price threshold.
- The traveler's heuristic rule was to avoid restaurants with empty tables at lunchtime in tourist areas, as a full restaurant was more likely to be a good one.