By Jeff Wang, Class of 2026

Editor’s Note: Essay written for the John Locke Essay Competition Philosophy Category (Awarded Very High Commendation)

All humans possess two types of intuition. Foremost, there are instinctive intuitions. These include tendencies like seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. They are present at birth and developed out of the evolutionary need for survival. The other type of intuition is learned. These are intuitions that individuals develop later in life as a result of their experiences. Knowing that moral intuitions belong to this second group of honed behavior raises the question of whether there exists merit in trusting them, given the subjectivity of their nature. Such an inquiry has generated much debate in philosophy, with proponents arguing for the authenticity of decisions made in this manner, and critics questioning the underlying biases and reliability of such a system. Amongst the many theses and dissertations surrounding this topic, existentialism provides a compelling answer to this question, contending that moral intuitions are only dependable in familiar circumstances, but that we should still seek to implement it in our daily
lives.

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