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heuristic

Problem-solving method that is sufficient for quick, short-term solutions/approximations

Entityproblem-solving approachQ201413

Also known as discover · heuristic function · heuristics

Instance of: problem-solving approach
Subclass of: method
, algorithm

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

A heuristic or heuristic technique is any approach to problem solving that employs a pragmatic method that is not necessarily optimized, perfected, or rationalized, but is nevertheless "good enough" as an approximation or attribute substitution. Where finding an optimal solution is impossible or impractical, heuristic methods can be used to speed up the process of finding a satisfactory solution. Heuristics can be mental shortcuts that ease the cognitive load of making a decision.Heuristic reasoning is often based on induction, or on analogy ... Induction is the process of discovering general laws ... Induction tries to find regularity and coherence ... Its most conspicuous instruments are generalization, specialization, analogy. [...] Heuristic discusses human behavior in the face of problems [... that have been] preserved in the wisdom of proverbs.

Overview

All data

46 statements · 13% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Main Wikidata property: based on heuristic
Different from: Heuristic criterion used: descriptive page and disambiguation page have to be in different items
Used by: knowledge base
Said to be the same as: rule of thumb
Has use: problem solving
Facet of: heuristic

On other databases

37 identifiers linking heuristic across the web's reference databases

Data quality

statements

13%

externally sourced

Source last edited September 20, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). heuristic (Q201413). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/heuristic-Q201413