Lexicon: Intuition (vs. Intellect)

The Etymology

From the Latin intueri ("to look at," "to consider," or "to look inside"). For Henri Bergson, this was not a "gut feeling" or a magical guess. It was a rigorous philosophical method.

The Definition

Bergson defined two ways of knowing a thing:

1. Intellect (Analysis): Moving around an object. You take photos, you measure it, you translate it into symbols (words, data). It is relative.
   • Example: Studying a map of Paris.
2. Intuition (Sympathy): Entering into the object. You coincide with its unique reality. It is absolute.
   • Example: Walking the streets of Paris.

The Intellect cuts; Intuition connects. The Intellect is designed for survival, it chops reality into manageable, static pieces (Concepts). It is perfect for building bridges. Intuition is designed for life, it perceives the flow, the duration, and the unique essence of a thing. It is required for understanding people.

The Corporate Application

We live in the "Tyranny of the Intellect." We believe that if we have enough reports (Analysis) about a market, we "know" the market. Bergson warns: "Analysis operates on the immobile." A report is a dead autopsy of the past. It cannot capture the living movement of consumer desire.

The Chief Wise Officer's Rule:

• Use Intellect for "Dead Matter" (Logistics, Accounting, Server Load). These things are spatial and static.
• Use Intuition for "Living Matter" (Hiring, Brand Strategy, Crisis Management). You must "enter into" the candidate or the crisis to feel its direction. Data tells you where you were. Only Intuition tells you where you are going.