---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: first principle of moral psychology…"
description: "\"“first principle of moral psychology: Intuitions come first, strategic reasoning second.”\" — Jonathan Haidt"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/jonathan-haidt-1823_integrity_first-principle-of-moral-psychology-intu_797393.jpg"
---

#  first principle of moral psychology: Intuitions come…

![“first principle of moral psychology: Intuitions come first, strategic reasoning second.” quote by Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/jonathan-haidt-1823_integrity_first-principle-of-moral-psychology-intu_797393.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/jonathan-haidt-1823_integrity_first-principle-of-moral-psychology-intu_797393.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/edd/jonathan-haidt-1823_integrity_first-principle-of-moral-psychology-intu_797393.jpg)

> ““first principle of moral psychology: Intuitions come first, strategic reasoning second.””

[Jonathan Haidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-haidt/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Moral judgments arise from gut intuitions, with reasoning applied later to justify them.

**In simple terms:** Intuition precedes reasoning.

Key Takeaway

Trust your gut, then reflect.

Themes

morality intuition reasoning

Mood

reflective critical

Type

philosophical psychological

When to use this quote

- political debate
- personal ethics

Key Concepts

dual-process theory ethical psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- Are your moral choices truly rational?
- How can you test your intuitions?

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[Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/)

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