Assessing the Use of Intuitions in Contemporary Political Theory

Abstract

This article extends recent scholarship on the use of intuitions in contemporary political theory, specifically, the lack of detail on how our intuitions are affected by context. I demonstrate that intuitions are shaped by various features of the world, including political institutions, political actors, and the contingent life history of individuals. As intuitions are shaped by these features of the world, via cognitive shortcuts and heuristics, there is greater scope for intuitions to be biased. I identify three ways that intuitions can be biased: (1) parochialism, in which intuitions are shaped by the country or city of residence; (2) endogeneity, in which the motives of political actors feed into intuitions via institutions; and (3) idiosyncrasy, in which intuitions are contingent on the random life history of individuals. I conclude by arguing that political theory’s reliance on intuitions requires greater attention to techniques in fields such as survey methods to avoid such biases.