commonsense

Common sense refers to the body of practical knowledge and sound judgment that is generally accepted by a particular community or culture. It enables people to handle ordinary situations and decisions without specialized training, relying on everyday experience, observation, and shared norms rather than formal theory.

The term derives from the combination of common and sense. In classical philosophy, ideas about a shared, practical understanding appear in the notion of sensus communis. In English usage, the phrase became prominent in the early modern period, where it was invoked as a foundation for reliable judgment in daily life. Over time, discussions about common sense have ranged from appeals to its authority to criticisms of its limits and biases.

Common sense is pragmatic, context-dependent, and culturally contingent. It is often expressed as heuristics or rules of thumb that work well in familiar environments but can mislead in unfamiliar or complex situations. It is distinct from scientific knowledge or formal logic, though the two can inform one another.

Cultural variation and power dynamics influence what counts as common sense, and the claim to it can reinforce norms or exclude outsiders. In intellectual history, philosophers have debated its reliability: some treat it as a practical anchor for ordinary reasoning, others warn against overreliance or unexamined assumptions.

In contemporary research, common sense is studied as practical wisdom or commonsense reasoning, including efforts in cognitive science and artificial intelligence to model it for better human–machine interaction. Critics caution that the term often reflects bias and the status quo rather than universal truths.