Decision Taking versus Promise Issuing

Abstract

An alignment is developed between the terminology of outcome oriented decision taking and a terminology for promise issuing. Differences and correspondences are investigated between the concepts of decision and promise. For decision taking, two forms are distinguished: the external outcome delivering form and internalized decision taking. Internalized decision taking is brought in connection with Marc Slors' theory of self-programming. Examples are produced for decisions and promises in four different several settings each connected with software technology: instruction sequence effectuation, informational money transfer, budget announcement, and division by zero.