heuristic

/hjuˈrɪstɪk/

Other forms: heuristics; heuristically

A heuristic is a rule or method that helps you solve problems faster than you would if you did all the computing. It sounds fancy, but you might know a heuristic as a "rule of thumb."

Derived from a Greek word that means "to discover," heuristic describes a rule or a method that comes from experience and helps you think through things, like the process of elimination, or the process of trial and error. You can think of a heuristic as a shortcut. Besides finding it in philosophy books, if you are interested in computing, you'll find references to heuristic programming. You can use it as a noun or as an adjective.

Definitions of heuristic

1. noun

   a commonsense rule (or set of rules) intended to increase the probability of solving some problem
   synonyms: heuristic program, heuristic rule

   types:

   lateral thinking

   a heuristic for solving problems; you try to look at the problem from many angles instead of tackling it head-on

   type of:

   formula, rule

   (mathematics) a standard procedure for solving a class of mathematical problems
2. adjective

   of or relating to or using a general formulation that serves to guide investigation
   synonyms:

   trial-and-error

   relating to solving problems by experience rather than theory

   antonyms:

   algorithmic

   of or relating to or having the characteristics of an algorithm

   recursive

   of or relating to a recursion