tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19751121.post3050868004361131133..comments2023-10-12T08:31:40.424-04:00Comments on Unideal Observers: On IntuitionsDavid Faracihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16731102863010694029noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19751121.post-59180484603871833732007-04-04T02:28:00.000-04:002007-04-04T02:28:00.000-04:00I was surfing the internet and ran across this Blo...I was surfing the internet and ran across this Blogg post. As an undergraduate student currently enrolled in ethics 102, I suppose I have a few questions about the idea of intuitions being the guide for morality. <BR/><BR/>I only have a basic understanding of intuitions or rather Hume's idea of intuitions and I just can't wrap my head around it. Now, I'm sure there have been philosophers who have added wonderfully new spins on the idea of intuitions but my questions will center around Hume's version as I understand it. <BR/><BR/>First it must be pointed out that I understand intuitions as being related to a feeling of disgust. For example, when we hear or (hopefully not) see murder, rape, torture, or other things of this nature we get the feeling that these things are (for lack of a better word) intuitively wrong. So far so good!<BR/><BR/>My problem arises when I try to think about my own intuitions about many things. You mentioned in your article that intuitions about science and math often do not lead us to the correct answer even though sometimes they do. We seem to remember these intuitions only when we're correct. For example if I were answering a multiple choice question on a test and my intuition was correct, I will more than likely pride myself on a job well done and note that my intuition was correct. However if my intuition was incorrect I would disregard it as knowing nothing about the problem. I get the sense that we believe our intuitions are correct only because we remember when they are correct and forget that we even had an intuition when their wrong. I may have an intuition about where I left my car keys but this may have nothing to do with where they actually are. <BR/><BR/>But maybe my intuitions just need to be refined! Perhaps it's the simple fact that I haven't trained my intuitions enough to be able to precisely pick out the right from the wrong. But doesn't this seem to be completely counter intuitive to the idea of intuitions? Aren't intuitions supposed to be JUST a gut reaction to a situation? If it is just a gut reaction to a situation AND we need to refine these reactions, aren't we just really talking about virtues? Sure Hume (and other philosophers I'm sure) calls it something else but it would appear to be the same thing, just minus the classifications. For example, instead of defining courage, we just say that you have an intuition about when it's right to be courageous. <BR/><BR/>And there's the Idea that what's important is not what is right or wrong but what is good and bad. I fail to see how intuitions tell us anything about what is good or bad. I don't think that I can say that my intuitions were either good or bad and if so, how? Sometimes my intuitions are good, sometimes they're bad! They're intuitions, they're simply starting points, they're not the ending point. And just because I start there, doesn't mean that I am going to end anywhere near there.<BR/><BR/>Finally I think this sums up the other main issue I'm having:<BR/><BR/>1. Everyone has different intuitions about the same topics (Intuitions are subjective).<BR/>2. Intuitions (Under Hume's theory) provide us with objective ethics.<BR/>3. Nothing can be both true and false at the same time and in the same realtion.<BR/>THEREFORE: What?<BR/><BR/>You can't take something subjective and make it objective. Yes, I'm making an assumption here, that intuitions are different for everyone, but I think you'll have a tough time convincing me that this is true. Look at how many ethical issues we face on a daily basis that people have drastically different intuitions about (I.E. Gay marriage). Why doesn't Hume just say he's a relativist?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19751121.post-74103793871594842322007-03-29T21:16:00.000-04:002007-03-29T21:16:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Mike Mattesonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16755258538798895260noreply@blogger.com