What is Common Sense?

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What is Common Sense?

Common sense is "everyday logic".

The term "common sense" was first coined by Aristotle, the ancient Greek philosopher, who said that humans were the only animal on the planet equipped with an innate sense of logic. Aristotle said everyone is born with the potential to think logically, therefore logic is the COMMON sense. (ie the logical sense is common to all humans).

What does common sense logic mean in practice?

There are three distinguishing characteristics of common sense:

1. A facts first system.
2. A rejection of mystical or magical explanations.
3. Always practical and workable.

1. The first rule of common sense is: Get the facts.

Common sense is a facts first system of thought. It is reality based. Common sense is about dealing with the world as it really is, not how you feel it should be.

Therefore, you need to ensure you don't make decisions based on instinct, vague feelings, rumour, guesses or fake news.

Check your facts and check your sources.

Sherlock Holmes said, "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has the facts".

2. Common sense implies a rejection of mystical or magical methods.

Common sense means we reject methods that rely on luck, chance, fate, the stars, destiny, the spirits, or that things happen "somehow".

Common sense tells us that people don't pass exams, just because they are lucky, or win races because fate is on their side.

People do not fail because "now is not their time".

Common sense looks for non-mystical, non-religious, non-magical explanations and methods.

If something happens, then it happens due to worldly, natural causes, NOT supernatural, magical, or religious causes.

So common sense is a logical, factual, scientific way of looking at things.

3. Practical and workable.

Because common sense is factual, it is also practical.

Because it is scientific, it is also pragmatic.

Therefore, all your theories must be practical, workable and achievable in the real world. Therefore, never evade facts you don't like and never invent facts you wish were true.

How can you develop common sense?

Resolve to deal with the world head-on; take a hard-headed, practical, factual, non-mystical approach to your life and its problems.

If you do that, then people around you will say you have plenty of common sense.

About the Author: Chris Farmer

Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.

Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.

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