Pertinent

In decision analysis, a feature of the world is said to be pertinent to a given decision if it is related to the decision and if the decision-maker’s welfare is (at least probabilistically) sensitive to its value. For example, the exchange rate between US dollars and the Japanese Yen is pertinent to many car purchase decisions. A feature need not have an effect on the decision-maker’s best course of action to be pertinent. That is, a feature may have a profound effect on the value of the outcome of a decision (thus, it is pertinent), yet have no effect on the optimal recommendation. For example, when deciding to buy a car, an individual may be very uncertain about fuel costs (a variable that may greatly affect his or her enjoyment of the car and that is, therefore, pertinent to the decision); however, given the individual’s available options and knowledge about fuel costs, buying the car may be the best alternative regardless of what those costs turn out to be.