what are computer heuristics 
in computer science a heuristic refers to a method of solving a problem that proves to be quicker or more efficient than traditional methods this may involve using approximations rather than precise calculations or techniques that circumvent otherwise computationally intensive routines the bottom lineheuristics are practical rules of thumb that manifest as mental shortcuts in judgment and decision making without heuristics our brains would not be able to function given the complexity of the world the amount of data to process and the calculative abilities required to form an optimal decision instead heuristics allow us to make quick good enough choices however these choices may also be subject to inaccuracies and systemic biases such as those identified by behavioral economics 