Use your gut Randy Cohen writes an ethics column for The New York Times Magazine. (No, I'm not setting up an oxymoron here.) His column fields ethical dilemmas from the readers and dissects their problem. Most of the responses are predictable, but he has found a way to surprise me from time to time. For instance he had no problem with smuggling food into a movie theatre. He is OK with letting a friend use your address to register her children in your better schools, since it is the government's responsibility to provide good schools and it is not the friend's fault that the city didn't do that in her district. He follows these statements with, frankly, impeccable logic.

And there is one that has really amazed me. Cohen actually makes a convincing case for purchasing cheap seats at the ballpark, but sneaking into unoccupied box seats when the usher is not looking. Readers sent him mail debating this declaration and each argument is shot down with crystal-clear, convincing logic. Now I am not going to recount Mr. Cohen's argument here; I couldn't paraphrase his words in a manner that would do justice to his skilful logic. And Cohen's analysis is indeed flawless.

I am a big fan of logical thinking. But I am certain that Cohen is absolutely wrong in his assertion that it is ethical to move into seats you didn't pay for. How can I be so sure I am right and this celebrated New York Times writer is dead wrong? Because his position just doesn't feel right. I know it in my gut.

As former New York governor Mario Cuomo recalls: Every time I've done some-thing that doesn't feel right, it's ended up not being right. He is right. Your gut will tell you when it's the right decision. Good choices create a sense of peace. Choose that path.

Some ethical decisions really are tough. But most are not. You can make immeasurable progress towards living an integrity-driven life by simply grabbing the obvious decisions and following your brain, nose, heart, and guts on the rest. Get the simple, routine daily decisions right and the complex ones will fall right into place.