title: Thorough use of 'if' statements or 'try/catch' blocks?
body: <p>Give me some of your thoughts on which is a better coding practice/makes more efficient code/looks prettier/whatever:  Increasing and improving your ability to use if statements to anticipate and catch potential problems?  Or simply making good use of try/catch in general?</p>
  
  <p>Let's say this is for Java (if it matters).</p>
  
  <p><strong>Edit:</strong>  I'm presently transitioning myself away from some admittedly out-dated and constrained current coding practices, but I'm a little torn on the necessity of doing so on a few points (such as this).  I'm simply asking for some perspectives on this.  Not a debate.</p>