Editorial April 27, 1940 Issue

Intuition and Judgment

George Shaw Cook

Who has not had the experience of knowing intuitively that a certain course was right, but of having been prevented from following it by what is ordinarily termed judgment? And who has not found later, in such a case, that it would have proved wise to have been guided by intuition, rather than by judgment? Likewise, in estimating human character, who has not discovered that intuition was more reliable than judgment in determining the trustworthiness of persons? Intuition, being equivalent to insight, is in most instances right, whereas judgment, or second thought, as it is sometimes called, is frequently proved to be wrong.

On page 581 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, defines "angels," in part, as follows: "God's thoughts passing to man; spiritual intuitions, pure and perfect." And it is obvious that if one were always guided by divine thoughts, or spiritual intuitions, one's acts would invariably be right and one's efforts would be unfailingly beneficial to others, as well as to oneself. Judgment, on the other hand, is often based upon fear of consequences, and this may deter one from acting in the way that would prove a blessing to all concerned.

There is, however, a kind of judgment based, not upon fear, but upon divine intelligence or wisdom which enables one to make one's decisions on the side of Principle. That is the judgment to which Christ Jesus referred when he said, "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."

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