Intuitions, intuitionism, and moral judgment

Ethical intuitionism has now taken a place as a major position in contemporary ethical theory. But there is still a widespread impression that the view depends on concepts and theses that are insufficiently clear for the work they must do or, if clear enough to sustain the view, then not plausible. One question here is what constitutes an intuition. Another is how intuitive cognitions differ from inferential ones. There is also a need to address the question of just how ethical intuitionism depends on the answer. This paper addresses all three questions and, in the light of what we find in pursuing them, explores the resources of intuitionist ethical theory for providing an understanding of how moral judgments may be justfied.