This is an old essay written in December 2009. I'm posting it on this site (with minor edits) today, January 13, 2023. It is common to hear advice that amounts to "going with your gut," "trusting your instincts," or "following your intuition." But these suggestions seem to indicate that the answers we arrive at through careful thought are sometimes (or perhaps usually) inferior to our immediate reactions.  Consider the following representative quotes: Keep the faith, don't lose yo...