The evidential status of philosophical intuition

Abstract

I sketch an alternative account of the role of philosophical intuitions that incorporates elements of traditionalism and naturalism–and defend it against other such views. In the final section, however, I discuss intuitions about conscious experience and acknowledge that my view may not extend comfortably to this case. This may seem unfortunate, since so much contemporary discussion of the epistemology of modality seems motivated by worries about the mind-body problem, and informed by the position one wishes to endorse. But, as I argue, if conscious experience is indeed an exception to the view I suggest in this paper, it is an exception that proves–and can illuminate–the rule. (edited)