Interesting decision making quotes

I’m thinking about starting a collection of quotations related to decision making.  Here’s one:

Captain Elizabeth Lochley: Problems are solved in pieces.  If you’re on the seventh floor of a burning building, you can die or jump out the window.  Once you’re out the window, you’re alive for another two seconds . . . during which time you figure out the solution to the next problem.  And so on.¹

I like this next one because you sometimes run into people who will reject a good alternative based on the mere possibility of adverse consequences. Of course, this is from a sci fi program, so some of the adverse consequences actually obtained. It’s an example of a strong from of the precautionary principle (“Better safe than sorry”).

Kramer: Some of these worst-case scenarios are terrifying…
Tunney: Of course they’re terrifying—they’re worst-case scenarios. They are the worst possible thing that could happen, ever.²

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1 “Strange Relations.” Babylon 5: The Complete Fifth Season. Writ. J. Michael Straczynski. Dir. John C. Flinn III. 25 Feb. 1998. DVD. Warner Home Video, 2004.
2 “Brain Storm.” Stargate Atlantis. Writ. Martin Gero. Dir. Martin Gero. Sci Fi. 21 Nov. 2008.
3 “b5013″ photo of Tracy Scroggins as Elizabeth Lochley from www.fortalnet.com.br