One of the options I would call ‘decision analysis,’ and doesn’t require much more than algebra and a basic understanding of probabilities. I wrote an introduction to it, and my current book recommendation on the subject is Decisive by the Heath brothers, and I remember it being much more about the psychology of decision-making (and practical heuristics you can apply) than math.
A second option is “what’s the difference between CDT and EDT?”, but that’s something you shouldn’t really approach until you understand causal graphs, which you shouldn’t really touch until you understand probabilities and graphical networks (like Bayes nets).
A third option is “what are those exotic things they talk about on LW like TDT and UDT?”, and I don’t feel qualified to tell you the right way to approach that.
Alright; I’d recommend focusing your attention on decision analysis. The acronyms refer to ‘philosophical positions’ about the right way to make decisions; you are probably better off focusing on practical improvements you can make in your decision-making ability and what formal decision-making looks like (which gets called stuff like cost/benefit analysis more than it does decision theory).
Decision theory
What do you mean by decision theory?
One of the options I would call ‘decision analysis,’ and doesn’t require much more than algebra and a basic understanding of probabilities. I wrote an introduction to it, and my current book recommendation on the subject is Decisive by the Heath brothers, and I remember it being much more about the psychology of decision-making (and practical heuristics you can apply) than math.
A second option is “what’s the difference between CDT and EDT?”, but that’s something you shouldn’t really approach until you understand causal graphs, which you shouldn’t really touch until you understand probabilities and graphical networks (like Bayes nets).
A third option is “what are those exotic things they talk about on LW like TDT and UDT?”, and I don’t feel qualified to tell you the right way to approach that.
I don’t know what any of those acronyms are.
I don’t know much about decision theory, actually, except that at least 5 people on lesswrong think its worth learning.
Alright; I’d recommend focusing your attention on decision analysis. The acronyms refer to ‘philosophical positions’ about the right way to make decisions; you are probably better off focusing on practical improvements you can make in your decision-making ability and what formal decision-making looks like (which gets called stuff like cost/benefit analysis more than it does decision theory).