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Intuition and intellect

שו”תCategory: philosophyIntuition and intellect
asked 6 months ago

Shalom Rabbi and happy holidays
After an interesting conversation with chat GPT, we came to the conclusion that intuition can only be a tool for clarifying the truth where reason cannot reach. And this is for several reasons:

  1. We gave a place of honor to reason, being general and understandable to all.
  2. Wrapping things up as “intuition” removes moral responsibility from the actions you take. Therefore, wherever reason can come in, there is a duty to involve it and avoid moral distortions of this or that kind in the name of intuition.

I would be happy to hear the Rabbi’s opinion on these conclusions. Thank you very much!


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מיכי Staff answered 6 months ago
My opinion is that this is meaningless confusion. There is no difference between reason and intuition.

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כריסטופר replied 6 months ago

But with reason, one can come to an understanding and refinement of what morality is and what moral action is. Intuition is everyone's private judge and a person will do what is right in their own eyes. This can lead to the destruction of society.

מיכי Staff replied 6 months ago

I said there is no difference. Are you claiming there is? What is it? Every logical argument is based on assumptions, and these come from intuition.

כריסטופר replied 6 months ago

Okay, so basic premises come from intuition, I get it. But do you agree that on top of them there must be a rational argument? For example, there is an intuition that there is some kind of higher power. That is the basic premise of the discussion. On top of that, if you want to get to a specific God, you must make a continuous logical argument, purely rational.

מיכי Staff replied 6 months ago

No. Sometimes intuition is enough and sometimes logical analysis is helpful.

מיכי Staff replied 6 months ago

The strange assumption underlying your discussion is that you're dealing with a case where logical analysis is useful, and then you ask whether it's worth doing. Of course it is. Why not use the tool at your disposal?! It's just an empty discussion.

כריסטופר replied 6 months ago

The Rabbi is right, in the case that they can come together there is no problem, I was wrong, forgive me.
From the Rabbi's perspective, if they conflict, is there no priority for one over the other? If I came to one conclusion intuitively, and another conclusion through mental analysis, is there no priority for one over the other?
Thanks for everything Rabbi, it is really not obvious

מיכי Staff replied 6 months ago

If there is such a thing as a clash between reason and intuition. Everything you call reason includes intuition. I repeat myself, and I think I've exhausted it.

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