Intuitive reasoning

Definition

Intuitive reasoning refers to the ability to understand or know something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning or deliberation. It plays a significant role in our everyday decision-making and forms the basis for responses to skepticism by emphasizing trust in our common sense beliefs and contextual understanding.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Intuitive reasoning often leads individuals to hold certain beliefs with confidence, even in the face of skeptical arguments or challenges to those beliefs.
2. Philosopher G.E. Moore advocated for using intuitive reasoning as a response to skepticism by asserting that common sense beliefs about the world, such as 'I have hands,' should be taken seriously.
3. Intuitive reasoning allows people to make quick judgments and decisions based on their gut feelings, often informed by past experiences and social context.
4. In contextualism, intuitive reasoning is highlighted as it emphasizes that what is considered 'justified' can vary depending on the surrounding circumstances and specific situations.
5. Critics of intuitive reasoning argue that it can lead to biases and errors, as it relies heavily on personal feelings and perceptions rather than empirical evidence.

Review Questions

• How does intuitive reasoning serve as a counter to skepticism in philosophical discussions?
  • Intuitive reasoning counters skepticism by providing a foundation of common sense beliefs that people rely on without needing extensive justification. G.E. Moore's common sense approach exemplifies this by arguing that certain self-evident truths, like having hands, should be accepted as valid knowledge. This perspective challenges skeptical views that question the certainty of our knowledge by asserting that our intuitive understandings are a vital part of how we navigate reality.
• Discuss how contextualism relates to intuitive reasoning and the significance of context in determining knowledge.
  • Contextualism is closely tied to intuitive reasoning as it suggests that the validity of what we know can shift depending on the context in which it is evaluated. Intuitive reasoning plays a crucial role here; what feels intuitively correct may vary based on situational factors, leading to different conclusions about knowledge claims. This dynamic interaction highlights how context influences our perceptions and justifications, ultimately shaping our understanding of truth and knowledge.
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of relying on intuitive reasoning in the context of responding to skepticism and establishing knowledge claims.
  • Relying on intuitive reasoning has its strengths, such as providing immediate confidence in beliefs and allowing for quick decision-making based on past experiences. However, its weaknesses lie in potential biases and errors stemming from subjective feelings, which may not always align with empirical evidence. In responding to skepticism, while intuitive reasoning can uphold common sense views, it may not provide sufficient rigor when challenged, necessitating a balance between intuition and critical analysis to establish robust knowledge claims.

Related terms

Common sense: The basic level of practical knowledge and reasoning that is generally accepted by society and used in everyday situations.

Skepticism: A philosophical approach that questions the possibility of certainty in knowledge, often challenging the validity of accepted beliefs and claims.

Contextualism: The view that knowledge and justification are dependent on the context in which they occur, suggesting that what counts as knowledge can change based on different circumstances.