Intuition as a Sixth Sense

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The sixth sense has always seemed like an unfathomable thing for me. What first comes to mind is relates to communicating with ghosts, demons, or the afterlife. My mind goes to telepathy and understanding what others are thinking, or what their intentions are. I think the sixth sense is an umbrella term that sums up phenomena similar to this that otherwise can't be explained.


My current understanding is that the sixth sense isn't a magical ability that one in a thousand people are gifted, but that everyone has an indescribable feeling about something. This intuition and gut feeling may not have any evidence to back it up, but there is some kind of force in the individual that allows them to pass judgment on whatever situation they're in. Gut feelings tend to be surprisingly accurate, and people are constantly advising to "follow your gut," because you're the only one who can decide what is best for you.

In the book "The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics," the author describes the moral psychology behind intuition and gut feelings. He explains how before we use our moral reasoning, we rely on our intuition to make quick, sometimes unconscious decisions. This ability allows us to validate ourselves and justify our actions, even if they are morally wrong. It also lets us depend on our moral compass to tell us if we are about to make a bad decision.


I think this approach of the sixth sense is just as mysterious as if someone was talking to ghosts. Throughout "The Righteous Mind," the author explains how morality is subjective, it forms from a result of nature and nature, it varies across cultures, and that it can be changed. The author also tries to explain moral reasoning and the psychology behind it. Although this makes the sixth sense seem slightly more tangible, it is still a complex phenomena that is not completely figured out.

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