Demand of the Question:
Clearly distinguish between moral intuition and moral reasoning by explaining their conceptual differences and illustrating each with appropriate examples. Shortly mention their complementary nature as well.
Introduction:
When Mahatma Gandhi was thrown out of a train in South Africa, his immediate moral intuition condemned the injustice, which later evolved into moral reasoning that shaped his philosophy of Satyagraha.
Differences between Moral Intuition and Moral Reasoning
Nature and Speed
- Moral Intuition is immediate and instinctive. Eg: Jumping into a river to save a drowning child — spontaneous compassion
- Moral Reasoning is deliberate and reflective. Eg: Arguing that every human life has intrinsic dignity.
Subjectivity and Objectivity
- Moral intuition is shaped by one’s upbringing, culture and emotions. Eg: War as a duty vs a crime both are intuitive depending on the era
- Moral reasoning is more objective and principle-based. Eg: War as the last resort in the contemporary debates.
Context of Use
- Moral Intuition guides quick decisions in emergencies. Eg: A soldier shielding a civilian.
- Moral Reasoning involves long term policy making. Eg: Designing welfare schemes based on justice principles.
Philosophical Grounding
- Moral reasoning forms the basis of structured ethical theories such as consequentialism, which evaluates actions based on outcomes, and Kantian ethics, which emphasizes duty and universal principles.
- Moral intuition lacks systematic philosophical codification.
Accountability
- Moral intuition is difficult to justify externally because it is based on an internal sense of right and wrong. Eg: a civil servant cannot defend a decision merely by saying “I felt right.”
- Moral reasoning enables accountability by providing clear, transparent and logically articulated grounds. Eg: administrative decisions must be supported by written reasons citing rules.
Scope for Correction
- Moral intuition may be prone to biases arising from prejudice or stereotypes. Eg: An employer may instinctively prefer candidates from a particular community.
- Moral reasoning enables correction through evidence, legal principles and public debate. Eg: Reservation can be justified as correction of historical injustices
However, moral intuition and moral reasoning are not mutually exclusive; intuition often provides the initial moral impulse, which reasoning subsequently refines and justifies. For instance, after the Bhopal gas tragedy of 1984, the immediate moral outrage and compassion for the victims reflected collective moral intuition, but it was through legal reasoning, policy reform and judicial processes that compensation mechanisms and stricter environmental regulations were subsequently framed.
Conclusion:
For a civil servant, moral intuition nurtures compassion, whereas moral reasoning ensures fairness and transparency. As Blaise Pascal rightly said, “The heart has its reasons which reason knows not,” but public ethics demands that the heart be guided by reason.