Intuition

The illative sense, known by another Philosophy is tightly linked to a type of intuition that stems from virtue.  Intuitive knowing in this regard, as opposed to a type of passionate whimsy, is a higher level of thinking than even an analytical approach.  It is capable of comprehending the interior harmony of all things, and when confronted with disorder it recognizes it while many others do not.

When the theological virtues of faith, hope and love exist in the body and soul of a Christian, he has a wisdom that can understand Christ’s parables, can recognize the counterfeit messianic portrayals of Him.

If man were to be described as having been comprised of parts, that when fallen, are at war with each other, than when made right-ordered by virtue, he brings those parts of himself into communion with one another, like the mystical body of Christ and its members United by the Logos.  But it’s in that interior harmony between one’s thirst for justice, ones desire for pleasure purified by love, one’s desire of unity with others in conjunction with a wholesome approach to truth, that all the parts of man as aforementioned and more, see the truth from all such angles simultaneously, intuiting order.  That is to say, if one is ordered interiorly, he recognizes order more easily.

But if the parts of man are at war with each other, only a fragmented type of internalizing the truth is possible.

As a result, the inner healing, the unity of self through virtue inclines the mind towards health and pure insight. 

I believe therefore it is healthy to understand these points:

1. Man is comprised of spiritual and physical parts, all of which are of themselves good and designed by God.  Each part has its own mission and purpose.
2. As a result of the fall, these parts to man exist not in a harmony with each other, but are at war with one another. Man is divided against himself. Man’s desire for love and justice conflict, his desire for pleasure and the good fight for dominance. 
3. Through the graces of virtue these parts to man are inclined toward the fullness of the truth and are in a process of integration with each other, so that each part or member of a man exists ordered, and united towards the Logos.
4. Having the parts of man configured and rightly ordered, existing in a harmony with each other via an orientation towards Christ, man sees the truth not from one part, but integrative all at once. And I call that, the illative sense, or true virtue in Wisdom.

Photo: Pablo Heimplatz, Unsplash / PD-US