--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: At the constitutional level where we…" description: "\"At the constitutional level where we work, 90 percent of any decision is emotional. The rational part of us supplies the reasons for supporting our pre..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/william-o-douglas-2931_decision_at-the-constitutional-level-where-we-wor_245486.jpg" --- # At the constitutional level where we work, 90 percent of… ![“At the constitutional level where we work, 90 percent of any decision is emotional. The rational part of us supplies the reasons for supporting our predilections.” quote by William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/william-o-douglas-2931_decision_at-the-constitutional-level-where-we-wor_245486.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/william-o-douglas-2931_decision_at-the-constitutional-level-where-we-wor_245486.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/200/william-o-douglas-2931_decision_at-the-constitutional-level-where-we-wor_245486.jpg) > “At the constitutional level where we work, 90 percent of any decision is emotional. The rational part of us supplies the reasons for supporting our predilections.” [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Most decisions are driven by emotion, with rationales merely justifying pre‑existing preferences. **In simple terms:** Emotions dominate decisions, reason follows. Key Takeaway Recognize emotional bias before deciding. Themes decision making psychology bias Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical insightful When to use this quote - political negotiations - personal relationships - business strategy Key Concepts cognitive dissonance emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - How can you separate feeling from reasoning? - What safeguards reduce emotional bias? A Different Perspective Emotions can be manipulated, leading to irrational outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Emotional](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotional/) ## Related quotes > [“The choice was made to be less emotional, more rational, and less "human." What an odd step in our so-called evolution.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eli-vineberg/the-choice-was-made-to-be-less-emotional-more-rational-and-less-human/) Michael Eli Vineberg > [“Don't make a physical decision on an emotional feeling that will led you to mentally suffering in the end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-d-williams/don-t-make-a-physical-decision-on-an-emotional-feeling-that-will-led/) [Jerome D. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-d-williams/) > [“The emotional/rational dichotomy approximates the folk distinction between "heart" and "head"; knowing something is right "in your heart" is a different order of conviction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-emotional-rational-dichotomy-approximates-the-folk-distinction/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [A number of politicians have failed to recognise the consistent truth of history: that we're both an emotional and a rational species, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettany-hughes/a-number-of-politicians-have-failed-to-recognise-the-consistent-truth/) [Bettany Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bettany-hughes/) > [Societies would \_not\_ be better off if everyone were like Mr Spock, all rationality and no emotion. Instead, a balance - a teaming up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eagleman/societies-would-not-be-better-off-if-everyone-were-like-mr-spock-all/) [David Eagleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-eagleman/) > [I do about 90 percent of my own stunts, and the things I can't do for insurance reasons, like swinging out of a flying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ll-cool-j/i-do-about-90-percent-of-my-own-stunts-and-the-things-i-can-t-do-for/) [LL Cool J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ll-cool-j/) > [Half this game is 90 percent mental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-ozark/half-this-game-is-90-percent-mental/) [Danny Ozark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-ozark/) > [I would say 90 percent of my mail and phone calls are from people who want some kind of help or succor or commitment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-coyote/i-would-say-90-percent-of-my-mail-and-phone-calls-are-from-people-who/) [Peter Coyote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-coyote/) > [“Ideally, only 10 percent of Taijiquan movement is expressed externally, as 90 percent of the true functioning occurs internally and is unseen by others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-alve-olson/ideally-only-10-percent-of-taijiquan-movement-is-expressed-externally/) [Stuart Alve Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-alve-olson/) > [This 90/10 rule holds true in almost anything financial. Take the game of golf, for example. Ten percent of the professional golfers make 90…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/this-90-10-rule-holds-true-in-almost-anything-financial-take-the-game/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [I'd say I'm friends with 90 percent of the girls I meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurel-van-ness/i-d-say-i-m-friends-with-90-percent-of-the-girls-i-meet/) [Laurel Van Ness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurel-van-ness/) > [It's immoral and wrong that the top 1 percent of the USA owns almost as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent. We should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/it-s-immoral-and-wrong-that-the-top-1-percent-of-the-usa-owns-almost/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I've never been one of those who wanted to fill my calendar up 90 percent of the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-gottfried/i-ve-never-been-one-of-those-who-wanted-to-fill-my-calendar-up-90/) [Gilbert Gottfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-gottfried/) > [To be a critic, you have to have maybe three percent education, five percent intelligence, two percent style, and 90 percent gall and egomania…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-crist/to-be-a-critic-you-have-to-have-maybe-three-percent-education-five/) [Judith Crist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-crist/) > [My philosophy is never start talking about 'if,' 'and,' 'but' or the past, because 90 percent of what follows will be negative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordie-howe/my-philosophy-is-never-start-talking-about-if-and-but-or-the-past/) [Gordie Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordie-howe/) ## More by William O. Douglas > [The First Amendment makes confidence in the common sense of our people and in the maturity of their judgement the great postulate of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-first-amendment-makes-confidence-in-the-common-sense-of-our/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Common sense often makes good law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/common-sense-often-makes-good-law/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Inanimate objects are sometimes parties to litigation. A ship has a legal personality, a fiction found useful for maritime purposes. The corporation sole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/inanimate-objects-are-sometimes-parties-to-litigation-a-ship-has-a/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Any test that turns on what is offensive to the community's standards is too loose, too capricious, too destructive of freedom of expression to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/any-test-that-turns-on-what-is-offensive-to-the-community-s-standards/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [I've often thought that if planners were botanists, zoologists, geologists, and people who know about the earth, we would have much more wisdom in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/i-ve-often-thought-that-if-planners-were-botanists-zoologists/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [I have the same confidence in the ability of our people to reject noxious literature as I have in their capacity to sort out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/i-have-the-same-confidence-in-the-ability-of-our-people-to-reject/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [The liberties of none are safe unless the liberties of all are protected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-liberties-of-none-are-safe-unless-the-liberties-of-all-are/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [A function of free speech under our system of government is to invite dispute. It may indeed best serve its high purpose when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/a-function-of-free-speech-under-our-system-of-government-is-to-invite/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [To be whole and harmonious, man must also know the music of the beaches and the woods. He must find the thing of which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/to-be-whole-and-harmonious-man-must-also-know-the-music-of-the/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Sunlight is the best disinfectant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/sunlight-is-the-best-disinfectant/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [We deal with a right of privacy older than the Bill of Rights-older than our political parties, older than our school system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/we-deal-with-a-right-of-privacy-older-than-the-bill-of-rights-older/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [It is our attitude toward free thought and free expression that will determine our fate. There must be no limit on the range of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/it-is-our-attitude-toward-free-thought-and-free-expression-that-will/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [The interests of the corporation state are to convert all the riches of the earth into dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/the-interests-of-the-corporation-state-are-to-convert-all-the-riches/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [There have always been grievances and youth has always been the agitator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/there-have-always-been-grievances-and-youth-has-always-been-the/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) > [Those in power are blind devotees to private enterprise. They accept that degree of socialism implicit in the vast subsidies to the military-industrial-complex, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-o-douglas/those-in-power-are-blind-devotees-to-private-enterprise-they-accept/) [William O. Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) [Explore all 145 William O. Douglas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-o-douglas/) ## More Decision quotes > [Making the right decision is hard,telling someone your decision is even harder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhishek-tiwari/making-the-right-decision-is-hard-telling-someone-your-decision-is/) [Abhishek Tiwari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhishek-tiwari/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“How can you make an informed decision about whether to save the world if you never leave your tiny part of it?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-david-hutchinson/how-can-you-make-an-informed-decision-about-whether-to-save-the-world/) [Shaun David Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-david-hutchinson/) > [Love is the foundation from which your decisions about your life should be made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-the-foundation-from-which-your-decisions-about-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Indecision becomes decision with time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/indecision-becomes-decision-with-time/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you think of people as making decisions actively, every time we think about the cup of coffee, we say, "How much will I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/if-you-think-of-people-as-making-decisions-actively-every-time-we/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [It was a conscious decision on my part to take up fewer films. And if you're not seen that often on screen, nobody calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-lever/it-was-a-conscious-decision-on-my-part-to-take-up-fewer-films-and-if/) [Johnny Lever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-lever/) > [Decision is a risk rooted in the courage of being free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tillich/decision-is-a-risk-rooted-in-the-courage-of-being-free/) [Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tillich/) > [I never think of things rationally or intellectually. I swear, every single decision I make is just instinct and my instincts tend to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-blomkamp/i-never-think-of-things-rationally-or-intellectually-i-swear-every/) [Neill Blomkamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-blomkamp/) > [“it is either you happen to life or life happens to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sesan-kareem/it-is-either-you-happen-to-life-or-life-happens-to-you/) [Sesan Kareem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sesan-kareem/) > [How strange that something so simple could have been instrumental in my decision to ruin one of my most relationships and friendships, and damage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/how-strange-that-something-so-simple-could-have-been-instrumental-in/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [I am encouraged President Obama now says he will fulfill his constitutional obligation to seek authorization for any potential military action in Syria. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-am-encouraged-president-obama-now-says-he-will-fulfill-his/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [In New York, you are constantly faced with this very urgent decision that you have to make, about every twenty minutes...you have to decide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/in-new-york-you-are-constantly-faced-with-this-very-urgent-decision/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) [Browse all 9,145 Decision quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "At the constitutional level where we work, 90 percent of any decision is emotional. The rational part of us supplies the reasons for supporting our predilections.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William O. 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