Explanation

The sentence sets up a contrast:

Judicial reasoning is described as the highest form of disciplined human thought. “Instinct,” by contrast, suggests something automatic, unreflective, and animal-like. So calling something a “jurisprudential instinct” would seem out of place or contradictory with the idea that legal reasoning is highly disciplined and uniquely human.

That gives the phrase an air of incongruity = something that doesn't fit or seems inconsistent.

Answer: B