What is Choice: Definition and 693 Discussions

A choice is the range of different things from which you can choose. The arrival at a choice may incorporate motivators and models. For example, a traveler might choose a route for a journey based on the preference of arriving at a given destination at a specified time. The preferred (and therefore chosen) route can then account for information such as the length of each of the possible routes, the amount of fuel in the vehicle, traffic conditions, etc.
Simple choices might include what to eat for dinner or what to wear on a Saturday morning – choices that have relatively low-impact on the chooser's life overall. More complex choices might involve (for example) what candidate to vote for in an election, what profession to pursue, a life partner, etc. – choices based on multiple influences and having larger ramifications.
Freedom of choice is generally cherished, whereas a severely limited or artificially restricted choice can lead to discomfort with choosing, and possibly an unsatisfactory outcome. In contrast, a choice with excessively numerous options may lead to confusion, reduced satisfaction, regret of the alternatives not taken, and indifference in an unstructured existence;
and the illusion that choosing an object or a course, necessarily leads to the control of that object or course, can cause psychological problems.

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  1. M

    What Are the Correct Answers to These Multiple Choice Physics Questions?

    Here are some muliple choice questions I am stuck on. Thanks in advance for help anyone can give me. 1) A falling object that has reached its terminal speed continues to gain? a.speed b.both speed and acceleration c.acceleration d.neither speed nor acceleration. I think the answer is D...
  2. F

    Comparing Kinetic and Potential Energy in Falling Objects

    Homework Statement A rocket moves through empty space in a straight line with constant speed. It is far from the gravitational effect of any star or planet. Under these conditions, the force that must be applied to the rocket in order to sustain its motion is ? The Attempt at a Solution I...
  3. C

    Delayed Choice Quantum Erasure

    I had thought up this situation where faster than light data transfer could occur, which turn out to have been thought of before. It is something called the Delayed Choice Quantum Erasure. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delayed_choice_quantum_eraser "...Even more surprising was that, if you...
  4. P

    Diffraction Grating Multiple Choice Questions

    Hey, I have to answer the following multiple choice questions ... its relevant to my exam which is day after tomorrow. Can anyone please tell which options should be the answers and why... I don't have any clue about these. So please don't delete this post ... instead please help me to pass the...
  5. S

    Delayed choice quantum eraser

    Question: What would happen if this was delayed even further? We are talking nanoseconds here, but what if the particle was slowed or sent far away, before being reflected back? What I'm getting at is... What if the delay wasn't nanoseconds, but seconds? What if it was minutes? What if it was...
  6. C

    Programs Making the Hard Choice: Should I Transfer Schools?

    Hello, I'm stuck making a hard desission. I am a second semester sophamore at a small private school and I would like to graduate with a dual major in Physics and Computer Science with a minor in Business Admin. The only thing that bothers me is that my school only offers a B.A. in physics...
  7. MathematicalPhysicist

    Some questions on axiom of choice and zorn's lemma.

    1)axiom of choice: prove that for every set X and for every f:X->X there exists g:X->X such that fogof=f. 2)zorn's lemma: let R be a partial order on X (X a set), prove that there exists a linear order S on X such that R is a subset of S. well for the second question i used zorn's lemma to...
  8. T

    Axiom of choice with single-point sets

    axiom of choice do you need to invoke the axiom of choice to choose a point from a collection of sets if the sets are single-point sets? for example, suppose f:A->B is injective. to create a left inverse g:f(A)->A, we need to "choose" a point from the preimage of b for all b in f(A) and...
  9. MathematicalPhysicist

    Inquiry about axiom of choice.

    i have this question: if: X=U X_i for every i in I, where X_i's are non empty and are disjoint, then |X|>=|I|. obvously there's the one to one function from I to X, which is g(i)=X_i, but my question is according to my text i need to use here the axiom of choice, i don't think i used here the...
  10. H

    Did you ever think that on going back to a choice made in the past

    Did you ever think that on going back to a choice made in the past and choosing the opposite, the results to your life would have been different ? Somewhere in your life can you pinpoint an event which defined you and your destiny depending on which path you chose to follow ? Or in spite of...
  11. marcus

    Choice quote from Steven Weinberg

    Newsweek had an article earlier this month (10 November) about a conference on Science and Religion attended by many top scientists including Nobel laureate physicist Steven Weinberg. Weinberg said something that was both poignant and apt. I never heard anyone use this figure of speech...
  12. S

    Overwhelmed by Choices? Physics Major's Guide to Picking a Career Path

    Hey Folks! I'm 23, currently a 1st-year Physics Major (started a little late), and I'm having a really enjoyable, yet frustrating problem. I have to many interests and have no idea what I want to eventually go into. Currently my interests are Quantum Computers, Physics of Neurscience...
  13. S

    Zorn's lemma without the axiom of choice

    I'm wondering if there is a version of Zorn's lemma that applies to collections that are "small" in a sense I'll describe below, and which true independent of the axiom of choice. Specifically, say I have a collection of sets such that each set in it is countable, but the collection as a whole...
  14. M

    Stron induction, multiple choice not sure how he got his answer

    Hello everyone, I'm confused on what the answer is here, it looks like he circled every answer but i don't see how that's possible. So maybe he cirlced c and b and marked a and b wrong. http://suprfile.com/src/1/3pyqpub/lastscan.jpg How would I test to verify that c and d are correct? if b1 =...
  15. J

    Understanding Eddy Currents: Exploring the Effects of Changing Flux on Metals

    What is the answer to this question(see attachment) ? i thought the answer was (B) but it is (C)
  16. daniel_i_l

    The Illusion of Free Will: Exploring the Boundaries of Determinism and Choice

    If people are "biomachines" and every action that we make is determined by physical law (quauntum mechanics is still physical law) then how can we have free choice? If we don't have free choice then what's the value of any scientific theory or philosophical argument - the person that said it...
  17. B

    Delayed Choice Quantum Erasure Demystified

    Delayed Erasure Demystified Delayed choice quantum erasure experiments claim to produce a 2-slit interference pattern in a beam by 'erasing' the which-path information contained in an entangled beam. There's an implication that the erasure happens after the interference is measured, and that...
  18. Oxymoron

    Defining Choice Functions: When & How Without Using Axiom of Choice

    Does the choice function let me choose exactly one element from a set? The set which I am choosing from must be the domain of the choice function, correct? Also, if I have a finite set, say something like X = \{a,b,c\} where a, b, c are distinct non-empty sets, then can I construct a choice...
  19. MathematicalPhysicist

    Theories in maths which do not use the axiom of choice.

    i read that there are some logicians who do not use the axiom of choice in their axioms systems. i wonder what is the math that isn't using the axiom of choice, or what theories do not use it?
  20. C

    Delayed choice quantum eraser question

    I have a question about the delayed choice quantum eraser with the double split experiment. Forgive me if this is a silly question.I have seen the following: TEST 1 1. shoot the particles & measure the result 2. erase the result 3. check the wall (whatever you shot the particle at) = wall...
  21. P

    Concept problems. multi choice check my answers.

    Ok i am studing and the book doesn't give answers. Here are a few questions i gave. What do you think. I will list pictures and test. For pic/question 1 - Will the answer be d - roatating the loop 90 degree ? Would it make sense that since the magnetic field is going into the paper i...
  22. J

    Induced current in a wire multiple choice question

    question In a particular experiment a long length of copper wire of very low resistance is rotated by two students. The ends of the wire are connected to a galvanometer, G, and a current is detected. Which of the following is LEAST likely to affect the amount of current produced? (A) The...
  23. P

    Best undergrad choice for transfer student

    i'm currently attending a community college in california, I'm a physics major, and i will apply to transfer to universities this fall. by looking through a lot of the threads here, i realized that prestigious universities probably have bad undergrad programs. so now I'm really looking towards...
  24. B

    Therefore, the most accurate answer would be B. Constant Phase Difference.

    Ok guys, I've got a few multiple choice questions I'm having trouble with... 1. If the current increases in a solenoid, the induced emf acts to... A. increase the flux B. decrease the flux C. either increase or decrease the flux D. have no affect of the flux ----I'm thinking B...
  25. R

    Math Math Career Choice: Minor in Finance or More Math Classes?

    Math - Career Choice?? Hi, I was wondering if the mathematicans on the forums could help me out with my choices for the next few years?? (i am going to speak to my undergrad counciler in a few weeks).. I am starting 3rd year Math (CORE programme) in September. I am also Minoring in...
  26. D

    Axioms - the choice & meaning

    Hi! I'm a high school student and I've been interested in Logic for some time... Although I read some books and acquired some knowledge, I still have one question that remains unanswered in spite of my hard work... My tutor told me that the three axioms of Propositional Logic (see them for...
  27. B

    Need help with multiple choice questions

    Ok guys, I’ve got a few multiple choice questions I need help with. Here they are, and thank you in advance! All I know for this one is……Ql/Qh = Tl / Th Leaning towards B. 1. In a Carnot cycle A. Qh > Ql * Th/Tl B. Qh = Ql * Th/Tl C. Qh < Ql * Tl/Th D. Qh = Ql * Tl/Th We are able...
  28. MathematicalPhysicist

    Axiom of choice and natural numbers.

    i have a few question, that i hope they will answered. 1) let w={0,1...,n,..}={0}UN, and let f:wxw->w such that the next requirements apply: a) f(0,n)=n+1 b) f(m+1,0)=f(m,1) c) f(m+1,n+1)=f(m,f(m+1,n). i need to prove that for every n,m in w, the next statement applies: f(m,n)<f(m,n+1)...
  29. L

    Courses Choice of course Phys-Math (McGill)

    Hi, I'm going into the Joint Honours Program in Mathematics and Physics @ McGill next session... I'm seeking for help on what course to take... (also how to take them...using minerva?) I'm new to all that university stuff... not too shure how it works... here is the list of class...
  30. B

    Delayed Choice Bell-state Quantum Eraser

    http://www.joot.com/dave/writings/articles/entanglement/spookiness.shtml http://www.joot.com/dave/writings/articles/entanglement/quantum-eraser.png 1. a laser fires photons into a Beta Barium Borate (BBO) crystal; 2. the crystal entangles some of the photons; and then 3. entangled...
  31. H

    What is the role of the Axiom of Choice in algebraic structures?

    I was wondering: what is the proof idea behind results such as: (Every vector space has a basis) iff AoC (All bases for a vector space have the same cardinality) iff AoC (Every field has an algebraic closure) iff AoC One direction is obvious, but I have no idea how to begin the other...
  32. J

    Cosmology: a good career choice?

    i find the study of cosmology very fascinating and now contemplating to study it. But is it a wise choice? I mean, how practical is cosmology in everyday life? not that i really need it to be, I'm more than satisfied to have answers I've always been pondering about. and is employment hard...
  33. B

    Schools UK University Choice: Manchester vs Warwick

    Hi I've recently got offers for chemical engineering in Manchester university and for chemistry at university of Warwick. I've got a dilemma situation; I don't which of these university I have preference to. Although in terms of ranking in the recent 'times university guide', Manchester...
  34. Y

    Conceptual Multiple Choice Questions

    Hi, I just wanted to know if anyone knows any good online resources that deals with the conceptual side of electricity and magnitism. I find that on tests, I do very well on the numeric problems, but when it comes time to the conceptual MC questions, I do poorly. I found one site...
  35. D

    Material Choice: Durability, Cost, Weight

    I was wondering if you could guide me in my choice of material in one of my projects. I must design a robot capable of being very cost efficient, light, and durable. What material is best suited for this? It's difficult to research this sort of information on the internet, due to such a high...
  36. P

    Schools Which Undergrad College Would You Choose for Engineering and Why?

    If you had the choice (ignoring the financial side of the scenario) to attend either MIT, Princeton, or Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology for physics with an emphasis on engineering (undergraduate), where would you go and why? Also, If you knew you could go to a prestigous (but not as...
  37. DaveC426913

    Twoslit & delayed choice according to string theory

    String theory is touted as bridging the gap between general relativity and quantum mechanics, so I'm presuming it can explain everything in QM. How does string theory explain the results of the two slit experiment and the delayed-choice experiment? (pop science reader's answer, if...
  38. U

    Delayed choice and information erasure

    In double-slit experiment one can observe either an interference pattern or which-path information, but never both. Spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) is used in the recent experiments to create entangled pairs of photons. One of them is used to observe the interference pattern...
  39. M

    Philosophy of Fate, Causality, Consequences, Choice, Free Will and Probability

    I have these ideas about these things and I would like your opinion. You may not agree, but it is what I think. First, I would like to say that Fate/Destiny and Causality are linked. To me, fate predestines things and people, which is why people or outside infulences of a person control...
  40. E

    Choosing Mealy vs Moore State Machines: Factors & Insights

    What are some possible criteria when to choose Mealy or Moore state machine? I know that for Mealy, output is a function of present state and input and in Moore it's just present state. I know it also probably depends on the design specifications, but ... just wondering. Any insights are...
  41. M

    Really delayed choice quantum eraser

    I am a High School Senior in Advanced Physics Topics class. We have recently deiscussed the basic double slit experiments and ways of quntum erasing and delaying choices, and how those situation affect the outcome of the screen whether it will show an interference pattern or not. We then...
  42. TheStatutoryApe

    Your Zombie Slaying Weapon Of Choice

    Your Zombie Slaying Weapon Of Choice... So what weapon would you prefer to be using when the world is over run and you must slay zombies to survive?:biggrin:
  43. cronxeh

    My Weapon in Times of Turmoil: The Fight for Victory

    In times of turmoil, against the enemy most loathed, what would be your weapon of choice?
  44. E

    Bad Modern Algebra Book, but good choice

    I went into this semester ignoring many remarks that Modern Alg. is a very hard course. I think the course material was a difficult at times but certainly not impossible. Like all math courses it required time and patience. However, I have had a rude awakening. I have never had such a course...
  45. D

    2 theory related multiple choice questions

    hey, I'm currently in grade 12, and so far we just started a review over the conservation laws unit, which includes (energy related theorm, work, power, momentum, collisions, mechanical energy ect.) Anyways I can't seem to figure out these two multiple choice theory questions, was hoping...
  46. S

    Electric Potential V at Point P: Multiple Choice

    Can anybody help me on this question, I'm stuck. I have a picture attached for clarification. Consider two concentric spherical conducting shells. O is at the center of the shells. THe inner shell has radius a and charge q1 on it, while the outer shell has radius b=3a and charge q2 on it...
  47. B

    Schools Choice between a few American Universities

    Hi everyone, i am actually studying Physics in a French University (University Paris 6 Pierre and Marie Curie), i have completed my first year and i am now going on my 2nd. For my 3rd year (year 2006/2007), I would like to participate in an exchange programm that my university has with a few...
  48. M

    A choice within condensed matter theory

    I will begin physics grad school this fall. I am pretty well decided on studying condensed matter theory. But, within CM theory, I'm not sure which area I should choose. On one hand, there are three professors at my school who mainly use field theory to solve many body problems. Ideally...
  49. U

    Is the choice of engineering stable enough?

    Hey I was wondering... I have been thinking about the various career options before me and I have thought a lot about engineering. I know that the work I would be doing sounds cool at least how it's been described. Yet I want to know somethings before I go further... 1. What aptitudes do...
  50. G

    Delayed Choice exp and Cause-Effect

    Amateur level. Does the delayed-choice double slit experiment violate or put in trouble the standard cause-and-effect thinking?
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