Hunches that matter: the role of intuitive concern in medical understanding

This conceptual analysis examines the role of intuition in medical understanding from a philosophical point of view: (1) Intuition serves an indicative function, whereby it experientially reveals that something is of importance to us, thereby enabling us to adapt and (re)evaluate situations. This re...

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Main Author: Kerrin Artemis Jacobs
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1508138/full
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author Kerrin Artemis Jacobs
author_facet Kerrin Artemis Jacobs
author_sort Kerrin Artemis Jacobs
collection DOAJ
description This conceptual analysis examines the role of intuition in medical understanding from a philosophical point of view: (1) Intuition serves an indicative function, whereby it experientially reveals that something is of importance to us, thereby enabling us to adapt and (re)evaluate situations. This results in the emergence of a distinct conative dimension. The intuitive judgments and insights about what matters also come with an urge to act on them, which is crucial for explaining the motivation for proactive prevention of harm and the promotion of well-being. (2) One specific mode of recognizing “what matters” is being intuitively concerned. Intuitive concern can be conceptualized as a process that relies on the interplay of intuitive “knowing” and deliberative thinking in clinical decision-making. (3) It can be concluded that these hunches are significant, as they indicate not only what should be taken seriously but also the necessity of achieving accuracy. The intuitive concern is an essential aspect of medical professionalism, both as a reflexive necessity and as an expression of the “art of healing.”
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spelling doaj-art-2fbad579df474c298a3e03145162e4822025-08-20T03:33:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-07-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15081381508138Hunches that matter: the role of intuitive concern in medical understandingKerrin Artemis JacobsThis conceptual analysis examines the role of intuition in medical understanding from a philosophical point of view: (1) Intuition serves an indicative function, whereby it experientially reveals that something is of importance to us, thereby enabling us to adapt and (re)evaluate situations. This results in the emergence of a distinct conative dimension. The intuitive judgments and insights about what matters also come with an urge to act on them, which is crucial for explaining the motivation for proactive prevention of harm and the promotion of well-being. (2) One specific mode of recognizing “what matters” is being intuitively concerned. Intuitive concern can be conceptualized as a process that relies on the interplay of intuitive “knowing” and deliberative thinking in clinical decision-making. (3) It can be concluded that these hunches are significant, as they indicate not only what should be taken seriously but also the necessity of achieving accuracy. The intuitive concern is an essential aspect of medical professionalism, both as a reflexive necessity and as an expression of the “art of healing.”https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1508138/fullintuitionconcernmedical professionalismpredictivenessmedical understanding
spellingShingle Kerrin Artemis Jacobs
Hunches that matter: the role of intuitive concern in medical understanding
Frontiers in Psychology
intuition
concern
medical professionalism
predictiveness
medical understanding
title Hunches that matter: the role of intuitive concern in medical understanding
title_full Hunches that matter: the role of intuitive concern in medical understanding
title_fullStr Hunches that matter: the role of intuitive concern in medical understanding
title_full_unstemmed Hunches that matter: the role of intuitive concern in medical understanding
title_short Hunches that matter: the role of intuitive concern in medical understanding
title_sort hunches that matter the role of intuitive concern in medical understanding
topic intuition
concern
medical professionalism
predictiveness
medical understanding
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1508138/full
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