sensehaving

Sensehaving is a term that appears in contemporary discussions of perception, cognition, and sensemaking. It refers to the state or capability of possessing a usable sense or interpretation of one’s surroundings, as opposed to experiencing disorientation or persistent ambiguity. The word is a neologism formed from sense and having and does not have a universally accepted definition.

Interpretations of sensehaving vary. Some writers use it to describe the ongoing maintenance of a stable interpretive frame in rapidly changing information environments. Others frame it as the deliberate cultivation of shared sense within groups, organizations, or communities. A phenomenological reading treats sensehaving as the subjective experience of “having sense”—the felt continuity of meaning in perception and action.

Relation to related concepts is common in discussions of sensemaking and meaning-making. Sensemaking emphasizes how people construct understanding from data and events; sensehaving can be read as the possession or development of the capacity to make sense. In organizational, design, or educational contexts, sensehaving may be invoked to discuss how individuals or teams sustain coherent interpretation under complexity and uncertainty.

Reception and critique: because sensehaving lacks a fixed definition, its usage is varied and can be ambiguous. Critics warn that the term may obscure more precise concepts, while supporters see value in naming a practical capability or experiential quality that supports comprehension and decision-making in complex environments. See also sensemaking, meaning-making, perception.