PHILOSOPHERS' CORNER

Lessons from Lobsters

At a gut level, most of us consider humans’ lives far more significant than lobsters’ lives. But does this intuition just reveal a cognitive bias most of us have? Are there any good arguments to support the idea that lobster lives matter less?

A Puzzle About Conspiracy Theorists (Part I)

You might think that conspiracy theorists like the flat earthers don't really think about things. But if you've ever argued with one, you'll find that they do. They have an answer for everything. So how do we reconcile their irrationality with their rational thinking?

Intuitions Are a Guide to…Look Here!

A debate rages in philosophy about whether intuitions can help us know the truth.

The intuitions in question are psychological states that arise in response to real or hypothetical examples. A classic example (mentioned on the recent intuitions show): imagine Jewish people are in your basement and a Nazi is at your door in 1942. Is it right to lie to the Nazi? Intuition in this case favors lying.

But is this intuition really showing us the truth? Do intuitions tell the truth in general?

Is Intuition a Guide to Truth?

 

Before we can answer the question, “Is intuition a guide to truth?” we’ve got to get clear on what exactly we mean by “intuition,” and particularly by the philosopher’s use of this term.