Rationality and Common Sense

Philosophy ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 53 (205) ◽  
pp. 374-381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Joshua Ross
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Rational Communication

In everyday arguments we often meet with such phrases as ‘That's rational, it is mere common sense’ used in conjunction to approve of or back up some particular statement. The juxtaposition of these everyday locutions embodies a profound truth, the truth, namely, that the basis of rational communication between human beings is plain common sense. I call this point profound because it has been missed in all the discussions about rationality and its basis that I know; certainly its elusiveness thus seems to indicate that participants in these discussions have not delved deeply enough. But I concede that this truth is simple and obvious, and conclude, therefore, that it has been overlooked only because its very obviousness has been taken, wrongly, to indicate superficiality and inadequacy. In suggesting that it is neither superficial nor inadequate I shall be relying on Wittgenstein's interpretation of Moore's ‘Defence of Common Sense’, to which I shall be adding a particular twist of my own.

Common Sense Propositions

Philosophy ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 48 (186) ◽  
pp. 363-379
Author(s):  
A. C. Ewing
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Physical Object ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Vast Number ◽  
Know How ◽  
Justified Belief ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Right ◽  
Past Experiences

Philosophers have not been sceptical only about metaphysics or religious beliefs. There are a great number of other beliefs generally held which they have had at least as much difficulty in justifying, and in the present article I ask questions as to the right philosophical attitude to these beliefs in cases where to our everyday thought they seem so obvious as to be a matter of the most ordinary common sense. A vast number of propositions go beyond what is merely empirical and cannot be seen to be logically necessary but are still believed by everybody in their daily life. Into this class fall propositions about physical things, other human minds and even propositions about one's own past experiences based on memory, for we are not now ‘observing’ our past. The phenomenalist does not escape the difficulty about physical things, for he reduces physical object propositions, in so far as true, not merely to propositions about his own actual experience but to propositions about the experiences of other human beings in general under certain conditions, and he cannot either observe or logically prove what the experiences of other people are or what even his own would be under conditions which have not yet been fulfilled. What is the philosopher to say about such propositions? Even Moore, who insisted so strongly that we knew them, admitted that we did not know how we knew them. The claim which a religious man makes to a justified belief that is neither a matter of purely empirical perception nor formally provable is indeed by no means peculiar to the religious. It is made de facto by everybody in his senses, whether or not he realizes that he is doing so. There is indeed a difference: while everyone believes in the existence of other human beings and in the possibility of making some probable predictions about the future from the past, not everybody holds religious beliefs, and although this does not necessarily invalidate the claim it obviously weakens it.

Rights, obligations and the public sphere: Arguments and options for securing just policies for young people

2002 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
Judith Bessant
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Public Sphere ◽  
Common Sense ◽  
Good Reason ◽  
Primary Reason ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Public Sphere ◽  
Dominant Narratives

Children and young people have too easily been subjected to state-sponsored mistreatment and neglect. One primary reason for the discriminatory and often hostile conduct directed at them by agencies ostensibly established to promote their welfare is that they have been ‘constructed’ as dangerous and ‘antisocial’, or as dependent, incompetent and naïve. A key aim of this article is to promote discussion about the significance of children's and young people's status as a key determinant of policies which routinely override their basic rights. The article argues that attention needs to be given to how child and youth policies can be developed more securely within a justice framework.I argue that, if we are serious about developing both just policies and ethical relationships with young people, we need to recognise the role played by dominant narratives about young people in shaping policies. Once this is achieved, attention can then be directed towards how those identities might be contested and reconstructed. I offer a number of suggestions for securing ethical treatment of young people which includes respecting them as fully-fledged human beings and citizens. I argue that challenging common-sense understandings of young people as dependent, not fully intellectually or morally competent, etc, can inform policies in ways that secure young people's entitlements as full citizens. In particular one way of challenging popular views about young people is to increase their involvement in the public sphere. The fact that most young people cannot currently claim rights for themselves directly is no reason for denying them. Indeed it is a good reason for securing mechanisms for monitoring those who have children in their care and to intervene to put those rights into effect. I also make a case for embedding young people's rights into an account of obligations that can be used to secure respectful and just conduct on the part of older people who have young people in their care.

scholarly journals Starotestamentalne cuda w poemacie "Paschale carmen" Seduliusza

Vox Patrum ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 62 ◽  
pp. 331-356
Author(s):  
Tatiana Krynicka
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
Laws Of Nature ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Holy Trinity ◽  
Human Voice ◽  
History Of

Before turning to the wonderful Saviour’s deeds, that he strives to praise in Paschale Carmen, Sedulius introduces his reader into the old testamental history of salvation. In the Book 1, which fulfils the functions of a preface to the poem, he recounts 18 miracles that took place before Christ was born, since the ages of the Patriarchs to the period of the Babylonian captivity. These relations appear to be separate, self-contained stories. The longest is devoted to the miraculous fate of the prophet Elijah (lines 170-187); in the shortest the poet tells about the Balaam’s donkey, an animal without speech, who spoke to its master with a human voice (lines 160-162). Miracles fascinate Sedulius as extraordinary events, which deny the laws of nature and contradict common sense. At that they are sometimes con­nected with a marvelous metamorphosis. God performs miracles in order to show to the mankind His might, providence and kindness; to educate human beings and to prepare them for the coming of Christ; to foretell cosmic redemption at the end of times. Telling about the old testamental miracles Sedulius tends to refer both to the unbelievers and to the believers the revealed truth. He also aims to awake in the readers’ hearts wonderment, gratitude, love and trust towards the Holy Trinity.

scholarly journals Koty to dranie. Obraz kota w wybranych słuchowiskach .

2020 ◽  
pp. 347-372
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Łogożna-Wypych
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
The Other ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Radio Drama ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Interesting Study ◽  
Human Eyes ◽  
The Invisible

Unpredictable and misunderstood, felines continue to mesmerize, attract and, at the same time, terrify human beings. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries cats were terrorizing humans as witches’ familiars, incarnation of Devil and messengers. Nowadays, they are able to convey the same sense of insecurity and menace with a sole appearance in a story. With a number of pets portrayed in radio dramas, cats are undoubtedly the most frequently depicted ones. Radio drama is an excellent medium to portray cats’ elusiveness and mysterious powers. Being the “blind medium” radio drama is able to convey the misconceptions and beliefs about cats most intuitively. In Koty to dranie by Jerzy Janicki the stereotypes about cats take control over man’s common sense, the thoughtless cruelty towards them being depicted as a sudden and surprising action. Grochola in Kot mi schudł offers an interesting study on much too common ill treatment of felines, the worthlessness of cats in human eyes, and, on the other hand, the ability of cats to change human lives, loneliness being the main focus of the radio drama. Felines tend to be quite persuasive, thus it is the cat, more often than any other animal, that not only is able to change the track of events in the plot, but also provides a particular bridge between contrasting worlds or conventions. Cat is never just a cat. It is the beginning, the main body, and the conclusion in the invisible world of radio drama with all archetypical notions that they may possess.

A Child's Reactions to Parents' Problems

1986 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 169-176
Author(s):  
Joseph L. Woolston
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
High Technology ◽  
Psychiatric Evaluation ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Behavioral Reactions ◽  
Attention Span ◽  
Scientific Methods ◽  
Hard Science ◽  
The Past ◽  
New Information

In the current world of high technology and glorification of "hard" science, the study of a child's reactions to his parents' problems may seem a bit archaic or sentimental. One might wonder what new information could have been learned in the past several decades about these age-old human problems for which common sense, rather than new data, might seem to serve as the best guide. However, the more rigorous applications of scientific methods of psychiatry, psychoanalysis, epidemiology, cybernetics, and psychology have shed new light on this age-old problem. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of addressing the issue of a child's reaction to his parents' problems is the bewildering diversity of possible responses. To propose that one kind of parental problem gives rise to one kind of reaction in a child obviously in nonsense. Although there seem to be some reactions that are more likely to occur in response to some specific parental problems, children can and do respond with the entire repertoire of emotional and behavioral reactions that are available to them as human beings. The following case illustrates the complexity and diversity of a child's reactions to his parents' problems. DG was an 8-year-old boy who was referred for a psychiatric evaluation by his pediatrician because of concerns about DG'S poor attention span, excessive activity, and provocative behaviour.

Mendelssohn, Moses (1729–86)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allan Arkush
Keyword(s):  
Political Philosophy ◽  
Human Nature ◽  
Common Sense ◽  
Natural Law ◽  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Political Liberalism ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Critical Philosophy ◽  
Existence Of God ◽  
Liberty Of Conscience

A Jewish disciple of Leibniz and Wolff, Mendelssohn strove throughout his life to uphold and strengthen their rationalist metaphysics while sustaining his ancestral religion. His most important philosophic task, as he saw it, was to refine and render more persuasive the philosophical proofs for the existence of God, providence and immortality. His major divergence from Leibniz was in stressing that ‘the best of all possible worlds’, which God had created, was in fact more hospitable to human beings than Leibniz had supposed. Towards the end of his life, the irrationalism of Jacobi and the critical philosophy of Kant shook Mendelssohn’s faith in the demonstrability of the fundamental metaphysical precepts, but not his confidence in their truth. They would have to be sustained by ‘common sense’, he reasoned, until future philosophers succeeded in restoring metaphysics to its former glory. While accepting Wolff’s teleological understanding of human nature and natural law, Mendelssohn placed far greater value on human freedom and outlined a political philosophy that protected liberty of conscience. His philosophic defence of his own religion stressed that Judaism is not a ‘revealed religion’ demanding acceptance of particular dogmas but a ‘revealed legislation’ requiring the performance of particular actions. The object of this divine and still valid legislation, he suggested, was often to counteract forces that might otherwise subvert the natural religion entrusted to us by reason. To resolve the tension between his own political liberalism and the Bible’s endorsement of religious coercion, Mendelssohn argued that contemporary Judaism, at any rate, no longer acknowledges any person’s authority to compel others to perform religious acts.

Dimensi Penanganan dalam Kasus Pengungsi Internasional; Teori dan Praktik

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanyan M Yani ◽  
Zulkarnain Zulkarnain
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
International System ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
The State ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Social Community ◽  
State Management ◽  
Fundamental Reason ◽  
International Refugee Law

<p>Dealing with international refugees is actually a responsibility of the State and the global social community. It does not depend on whether the country concerned has ratified the 1951 refugee or not. Why, because the issue of international refugees is a matter of humanitarian universalism, including human rights. Therefore there is no fundamental reason for the State to ignore it. Isn't the state as well as a political unit that lives, grows and develops as a living creature. International refugees should be seen as an international system organ that contributes to the maturation of the State. Humanity values cannot be separated from the dimensions of State management. Emmanuel Kant said that human beings in essence have a behavior that respects and cares for each other. This kind of behavior makes a person called a human being. Likewise, the State, the State is an instrument managed by a number of people and of course based on common sense. For this reason, the action of handling refugees is something that is based on common sense. Treatment options may be chosen based on rules that are in accordance with international refugee law, however, they are not limited in nature, but may also be based on creativity in accordance with what develops in the field. The important thing is not contrary to the humanity's point of view.</p><p> </p><p>Keywords: Handling of Refugees, International Refugees, Protection, Humanity.</p>

Das Lachen der thrakischen Magd

2008 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 15-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Schües
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
The State ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Philosophical Thinking

The laughter of the Thracian handmaid. About the ›unworldliness‹ of philosophy. Interpreting Plato’s story of the Thracian handmaid, this essay focuses on questions concerning the supposition of an opposition between common sense and philosophical thinking. Taking the laughter of the maid seriously the author discusses the role of laughter for Plato’s approach. By reevaluating the function of laughter she argues for its strength in revealing ideological thinking or an undisclosed hypothesis, and in enabling philosophical thinking. Thus, the author argues that the alliance of laughter and thinking unsettles the state of being enclosed in ideology, everydayness or thoughtlessness, and both distances and unsettles human beings. And hence, it may free us to pose again the question as to how we are thinking what.

Can There be a Religion of Reasons? A Response to Leiter's Circular Conception of Religious Belief

2010 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-56
Author(s):  
Jeffrey M. Lipshaw
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
Religious Belief ◽  
Martha Nussbaum ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Religion And Science ◽  
Bright Line ◽  
The World ◽  
Definition Of Religion ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Special Respect

This article comments on a definition of religion recently proffered by Brian Leiter. Leiters definition first appeared in a paper arguing that there is no principled reason for the Constitution to single out religion as one of many forms of conscience for special tolerance. Martha Nussbaum then suggested that we owe something more than mere tolerance for religious belief; in our efforts to make sense of the world, we owe “a special respect for the faculty in human beings in which they search for life's ultimate meaning.” In a later paper, Leiter uses the same definition of religion to argue that Nussbaum is wrong. My argument can be expressed positively: if Nussbaum is right, she is also right that the concept of religious belief (as opposed to particular conceptions or instantiations of it) is entitled to as much respect as any other kind of belief, because once we are talking about any kind of belief it is difficult to draw a principled line. Stated negatively, Leiter's attack is ultimately circular: the problem with religion is that it is not science. Exposing the circularity requires identifying the trick, which is that Leiter employs an appeal to common sense to distinguish religion and science under a bright line definition. Nevertheless, the very belief in common sense Leiter employs here is the same as the belief in religion Leiter attacks: it is categorical and insulated from further reasons.

scholarly journals TRINARĖ DIALOGO STRUKTŪRA FENOMENOLOGINIU POŽIŪRIU

Problemos ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 76 ◽  
pp. 86-98
Author(s):  
Mintautas Gutauskas
Keyword(s):  
Common Sense ◽  
Subject Matter ◽  
Critical Research ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Intentional Consciousness ◽  
Dialogical Relationship ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Universal Structure ◽  
Dialogue Theory ◽  
Rational Communication

Straipsnyje pateikiama fenomenologinė dialogo struktūros tematizacija. Atspirties taškas yra dialogo kaip binarinio santykio kritika. E. Remiantis Husserlio, B. Waldenfelso ir A. Mickūno sąmonės intencionalumo ir intersubjektyvumo analize, siekiama parodyti, kad bet kokiuose binariniuose Aš–Tu santykiuose visuomet figūruoja trečiasis narys – tam tikras dalykas, kurį bando eliminuoti M. Buberio ir E. Levino koncepcijos kaip nedialogiškumo požymį. Straipsnyje siekiama ne pereiti prie dialogo kaip susikalbėjimo ar racionalios komunikacijos analizės, bet apčiuopti arčiausiai dialoginio santykio esančias dalykiškumo plotmes. Aiškinamasi Tu suvokimo specifika dialoginiame santykyje. Nagrinėjama kito esaties reikšmė policentrinės erdvės steigičiai. Aprašoma kreipimosi struktūra suvokimo aspektu. Kritiškai peržiūrima kito pažinimo problemos reikšmė dialogo teorijai. Ieškoma bendros prasmės steigimosi principų. Pagrindiniu bendros prasmės teigimosi principu laikomas „išpildymo sąryšis“ (Erfüllungszusammenhang), kuris atskleidžiamas remiantis E. Husserlio pateikta tuščių sąmonės intencijų (Erfüllung der leeren Intentionen) išpildymo samprata. Nagrinėjama savivoka dialoge dalykiškumo aspektu. Galiausiai daroma išvada, kad tik trinaris dialogo modelis leidžia išvengti dialogo redukcijų kraštutinumų – arba binarinio santykio, arba racionalios komunikacijos – ir taip pateikti universalią dialogo struktūrą kūniškos akistatos ir suvokimo aspektu.Pagrindiniai žodžiai: dialogas, intersubjektyvumas, fenomenologija, Waldenfels, Mickūnas.The Trinomial Structure of Dialogue from the Phenomenological Point of ViewMintautas Gutauskas   SummaryThe thematization of the phenomenological structure of dialogue is presented in the article. It starts with the critique of dialogue as a binomial relation. Based on Husserl’s, Waldenfels’ and Mickunas’ analyses of intentional consciousness and intersubjectivity, the author shows that there is a third linking member – subject matter – in every I–Thou binomial relationship. It is the subject matter which the conceptions of Buber and Levinas try to eliminate as a non-dialogical aspect. The aim of this critical research is not to proceed to the analysis of dialogue as mutual understanding or rational communication, but to grope those planes of the subject matter which are closest to dialogical relationship. The author elucidates the specific character of percepting Thou in dialogical relationship. The significance of the Other’s presence in a dialogue and the constitution of polycentric space are investigated. The structure of addressing is described in the aspect of perception. It is also critically revised whether the problem of the cognition of the Other is significant for dialogue theory. The author is looking for the principles that enable the constitution of common sense. He considers that the main principle for the constitution of common sense is “the connection of fulfilment” (Erfüllungszusammenhang), which is disclosed on the ground of Husserl’s notion of filling the empty intentions (Erfüllung der leeren Intentionen). The self-perception in a dialogue is investigated in the aspect of the subject matter. Finally, the conclusion is drawn that the trinomial pattern of dialogue enables us to avoid the extreme reductions of a dialogue to a binomial relationship or rational communication and to present the universal structure of the dialogue in the aspect of a corporeal face-to-face contact and perception.Keywords: dialogue, intersubjectivity, phenomenology, Waldenfels, Mickunas.

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