Reason, understanding, intuition can all denote that power of the intellect by which man arrives at truth or knowledge.
Reason centers attention on the faculty for order, sense, and rationality in thought, inference, and conclusion about perceptions.
Understanding may sometimes widen the scope of reason to include both most thought processes leading to comprehension and also the resultant state of knowledge.
Intuition (see intuitive at INSTINCTIVE ) stresses quick knowledge or comprehension without orderly reason, thought, or cogitation.
Used in connection with 19th century literary and philosophic notions, understanding often suggests the cold analytical order usually associated with reason and reason in turn suggests the spontaneity of intuition .