The method of reflective equilibrium consists in working back and
forth among our considered judgments (some say our “intuitions”) about
particular instances or cases, the principles or rules that we believe
govern them, and the theoretical considerations that we believe bear
on accepting these considered judgments, principles, or rules,
revising any of these elements wherever necessary in order to achieve
an acceptable coherence among them. The method succeeds and we achieve
reflective equilibrium when we arrive at an acceptable coherence among
these beliefs.