Philosophy Sometimes Relies on Intuitions

Abstract

Max Deutsch’s book The Myth of the Intuitive questions, rightfully, the standard picture of philosophical methodology – one upon which our primary methods revolve around the use of the so-called ‘method of cases’. Supposedly, when we employ the ‘method of cases’, we rely on our intuitions to evaluate whether an imagined case forms a counterexample to a proposed philosophical analysis. I agree with Deutsch that this picture mischaracterizes the true methods of philosophy. But on my view, intuitions still play a fairly central role in philosophy – though sometimes only indirectly. I argue that the role played by intuition in philosophy is sufficient to ground the worries that have been raised by experimental philosophers. However, I also think argue that experimental philosophers have been somewhat too ambitious in their aims – we do not, I think, need to burn the armchair.