Common sense Quotes

“CoMMOn SeNSe iS nOt sO cOmMOn aMoNg coMMon pEOPLe...”

“The common theme of common sense is that it’s commonly rejected as uncommonly demanding.”

“For we conceive it as the aim of a philosopher, as such, to do somewhat more than define and formulate the common normal opinions of mankind. His function is to tell men what they ought to think, rather than what they do think: he is expected to transcend Common Sense in his premises, and is allowed a certain divergence from Common Sense in his conclusions. It is true that the limits of this deviation are firmly, though indefinitely, fixed: the truth of a philosopher's premises will always be tested by the acceptability of his conclusions: if in any important point he be found in flagrant conflict with common opinion, his method is likely to be declared invalid. Still, though he is expected to establish and concatenate at least the main part of the commonly accepted moral rules, he is not necessarily bound to take them as the basis on which his own system is constructed. Rather, we should expect that the history of Moral Philosophy--so far at least as those whom we may call orthodox thinkers are concerned--would be a history of attempts to enunciate, in full breadth and clearness, those primary intuitions of Reason, by the scientific application of which the common moral thought of mankind may be at once systematized and corrected.”

“Common sense will tell us, thatthe power which hath endeavoured to subdue us, is of all others, themost improper to defend us.”

“I rejoice to concur with the common reader; for by the common sense of readers, uncorrupted by literary prejudices, after all the refinements of subtilty and the dogmatism of learning, must be finally decided all claim to poetical honours.”

“common sense is embedded in common things”

“In a world of common nonsense, our best defence is common sense.”

“How does ‘common sense’ arise? Through conflicts. During conflicts, if one does not clash with anyone, even if the other person comes clashing with him, he should not clash with him. If one is able to remain this way, ‘common sense’ will arise. Otherwise, whatever ‘common sense’ there is, it too will disappear!”

“In the present case it is a little inaccurate to say I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible to any public office of trust or profit in the Republic. But I do not repine, for I am a subject of it only by force of arms.”