How did John Calvin use John Duns Scotus’s idea of intuitive cognition?

John Duns Scotus’s theory of intuitive cognition—defined as the immediate and indubitable awareness of the existence of a thing—suggested to the Genevan reformer John Calvin a way in which God may be "experienced."1

While Calvin was often critical of the Scholastics for relying too heavily on human reason, he was an eclectic thinker who inherited various intellectual traditions. By utilizing the Scotist concept of intuitive cognition, Calvin found a philosophical framework that allowed for a direct, experiential encounter with the divine, moving beyond mere abstract contemplation. This approach aligned with his broader theological emphasis on the heart and the practical, saving truths revealed by God, rather than purely intellectual or speculative knowledge.21