Human intuition: its role in life and main characteristics

The development of human knowledge occurs as a result of experimental activity, inferences, and the formation of concepts. However, logic alone is not enough for the progress of civilization. Of great importance in the emergence of new knowledge are guesses, sudden insights that cannot be explained by common sense.

Intuition gives a new impulse and direction to the movement of thought. This is a phenomenon based on the ability to make the right decisions, bypassing the intermediate stages of reasoning.

Main characteristics And how important its a role in life

Since ancient times, intuition has been a subject of discussion for philosophers, psychologists, inventors, and just curious citizens. Let’s try to understand what intuition is and what role it plays in science and everyday life.

What does Intuition mean?

Intuition is (in philosophy) a way of knowing the truth through its direct perception without proof. Intuitive decisions arise as a result of long deliberation over the solution of the issue. You don’t need any conscious reason to believe in things and consider those things.

Psychologists explain intuition by the activity of the subconscious. A person thinks for a long time, ponders a problem, despairs to find a solution, but it comes as if by itself, and unexpectedly.

Psychology explains this by the continuation of mental activity at the subconscious level and the subsequent transfer of the result of intellectual work to the sphere of consciousness.

So intuition is (in psychology) knowledge that arises without realizing the ways and conditions for obtaining it.

The intuitive does not include inferences, the premises of which are not formulated explicitly. Also, intuition is not behavioral reactions, which are based on instincts and physiological manifestations.

Historical development of the concept

People were interested in the problem of intuition even in Antiquity. Thus, Plato argued that intuition is the contemplation of ideas. A person has absolute knowledge, but entering the material world, he forgets everything.

Learning, the discovery of something new is a recollection of what was known before. Intuition helps to do this. This is not about passive perception, but about the suddenly revealed truth after a long preparation of the mind.

Recognizing the phenomenon of intuition, Aristotle considered it insufficient for obtaining reliable scientific knowledge. According to the scientist, true ideas about objects and phenomena of the surrounding world are formed as a result of sensory experience and deduction.

To the first, he attributed the knowledge gained through the direct perception of objects and phenomena, to the second – the formation of concepts.

Intuition manifests itself at the level of uncomplicated cognition when the obvious is accepted without proof.

The interpretation of the concept of “intuition” has changed in modern times. The rapid development of the natural sciences necessitated a revision of the theory of knowledge, the development of new methods for substantiating concepts and laws.

Intuition is (in philosophy) the path to truth.

An objectively existing cognizable object is reflected in the consciousness of the individual. The initial ideas about the subject, formed by direct perception, are intuitive.

This is not yet true knowledge, but the basis for rationalization, reasoning.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the concept of “intuition” was excluded from scientific use. At that time, it was believed that knowledge about the world can be obtained only with the help of logic. Later, intuition began to be viewed as an insight, guess, “leap into the unknown” (S. Submaev, S. Mikhoels, etc.).

The study of intuition has become relevant due to the development of the psychology of creativity. The well-known psychologist Ya. A. Ponomarev created the doctrine of a by-product – an unexpected, but original and important result of creative activity obtained as a result of the intense work of the subconscious.

Intuition is the ability to find a non-standard solution to a problem.

Today, interpretations of intuition range from “semi-conscious foreboding” to “higher forms of creative thinking.” The complexity of studying the phenomenon is due to the problematic nature of the description and logical analysis of what is illogical in nature.

Sensual and rational cognition

A person learns the world through the senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste) and through thinking. Sensory cognition makes it possible to get ideas about objects through their direct perception.

Generalization, transfer of perceived signs and properties to other homogeneous objects does not occur. So, for a child of 1-2 years old, a cup is only the cup from which he drinks.

The kid can name an object, but the word does not yet perform a generalizing function.

Rational cognition is carried out using concepts, judgments, and inferences: “a triangle is a geometric figure consisting of three segments connected by three points that do not lie on one straight line”, “friction is a source of heat”, “all predators eat meat, a tiger is a predator, therefore, he eats meat, ”etc.

Sensual and rational cognition are closely related. One or another type of cognitive activity becomes dominant depending on the specifics of the problem being solved. The form of conjugation of the sensual and the rational is intuition.

It makes sense to talk about intuition when moving from the sensual to the rational, and vice versa. Unique images appear in the mind of a person, and new concepts are formed without preliminary conclusions. An example is the discovery of the formula of benzene F.

Can it be argued that intuition is sensory cognition? Yes, if we mean sensations and perceptions opposed to reason, but not devoid of it. Research results show that even elementary forms of sensory reflection of reality are mediated.

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