Edwin C. May’s Decision Augmentation Theory (DAT) is a way of explaining how psychic phenomena (like intuition or precognition) might actually work—not by breaking the laws of physics, but by subtly influencing decision-making.
The Core Idea:
Imagine you’re playing a game where you have to pick a lucky number, and somehow, you keep winning more often than chance would predict. Instead of assuming you can “see the future,” DAT suggests that your decision-making process is subtly guided—almost like an unconscious nudge—that leads you to the right choice more often than random guessing would allow.
How It Works:
1. Tiny, unconscious nudges → Your brain gets very slight hints (maybe outside of normal awareness) that help you choose a path that leads to a better outcome.
2. No breaking of physical laws → Instead of “predicting the future,” your choices are just skewed in a way that improves success over time.
3. Statistical advantage → You might not always be right, but over many decisions, the odds tilt in your favor just enough to look significant.
A Real-Life Analogy:
Think of a skilled stock trader. They may not know the future, but their gut feeling—built on countless small cues—helps them make choices that turn out well more often than chance alone would suggest. DAT proposes that something similar might happen in certain cases of precognition or psychic intuition.
Why It Matters:
Instead of claiming people can “see the future,” DAT suggests that the mind subtly influences decision-making in ways that appear psychic when studied statistically.
Does that explanation make sense?