What do you understand to be common sense? How would you compare that to logic?

Question

Are there more than one kind of logic? I suppose so, if you consider Boolean logic. Or is that Boolean algebra?

Would philosophers and anthropologists tend to have a different definition of "common sense?" What then is meant by "book sense" and "street smarts"?

You who call yourself -.-

You wrote in reply:

"...ultimately it's just a conservative appeal to metaphysical standards that are being questioned by the real philosopher in the 1st place. Justification by common sense is so ridiculous. It's about as bad a fallacy as appealing to nature."

What metaphysical standards would you recommend, if this matter were up to you? And if you decline to appeal to nature, then to what do you appeal?

To reply to the other guy, what if you don't know what the feckless is a refrigerator? You might not know then to close it. There are people in the world, still, who do not know what freezers, refrigerators, escalators, and other products of modern technology are. So...... what then? About assuming, I mean?

Answer 1

Common sense is just as historically contingent as our logical methodology. If you analyze a concept far enough you lose the phenomena. Common sense tries to reclaim this-- but ultimately it's just a conservative appeal to metaphysical standards that are being questioned by the real philosopher in the 1st place. Justification by common sense is so ridiculous. It's about as bad a fallacy as appealing to nature.

Answer 2

Common sense is something that has evolved with the ages as a form of protection, for example common sense would warn you that if a metal object has been exposed to fire for a prolonged period of time to not pick it up with your bare hands. Logic however does not come naturally with evolution, logic tells you that the number after 1 is 2 logic is learned by ones self through learning or being taught something.

ON the subject of book and street smarts though, Book smarts means something that by reading it in a book it can be understand and useful in your life. For example addition if I read in a book how to add 1 and 1 then I would understand that adding means putting two thing together. However street smarts are something you have to experience firsthand. I can't read "Social Interaction for Dummies" and go out into the world and know how to communicate with others. It is learned through trial and error and firsthand experience.

Answer 3

These seem like separate questions. Boolean logic is used to chain operations together, and group related integers(great for computer processes).

Animals have what you would consider "street smarts" it's an instinctual understanding of how to behave in your environment due to immersion in it and genetic predisposition. Darwinism at its finest, albeit our environment takes pity on those who are at a loss.

Book smarts relates to the study of things not necessarily important to survive in a given environment. EX: a hunter may not understand the physics of his arrow in flight; he doesn't need to in order to hunt effectively. Conversely a Physicist may not be able to fire an arrow effectively, which could situationally lead to his death...ironic because some would say that the physicist had a better understanding of the arrow in flight.

Philosophers and Anthropologists "speculate" on that which cannot be proven as absolute truth, therefore "common sense" is relative to their understanding of existance. Obviously a nihilist is going to have a different definition than a Zoroastrian. "Logic" is also biased by the philosophy of the individual using it.

Therefore, logic and common sense are dependent of your social understanding, and "book smarts/street smarts" are more a product of your environment.

Answer 4

Common sense is something that everybody is expected to have on some common grounds, through, what makes sense to you might not makes sense to others. Book sense is the basic theory discussed by the philosophers while street smarts is something you have to accumulate through experiences, learn from your mistakes and remember the lessons - trial and error.

Answer 5

Logic is a method, which has principles that are described in many texts.

Common sense is an individual's use of his sensory awareness as well as social awareness to act in a way that reaps benefit for himself or others.

Answer 6

Book sense is theoretical. Street smarts are learned from experience. Common sense is 'basic' sense (like don't steal or don't leave the freezer door open) that we assume everyone has.