Random Thoughts Thread

[Andres]

All too easily "common sense" is abused to force one's opinion through another one's throat.

I'm going to make a bold statement: common sense is an obstacle in philosophy and therefore has no place in it. It imposes a limit and as such becomes a roadblock to innovative and new ideas. Common sense stands in the way. And not only in philosophy.

I understand @asai about Descartes and some philosophers living in Ivory Towers, and to a certain degree, I concur, but Descartes' was groundbreaking in the sense that his ideas force you to be skeptical about everything, even about things you observe. He takes it to the extreme, which becomes a bit silly, but there is merit in it.

Perhaps it is nothing more than an impression, but I have the impression that in our modern day Western societies, people are not sceptical enough. Everything mainstream media throws at them, is accepted as fact and truth. Sure, you can say some of his ideas are silly, but we need more Descartes who learns us to distrust everything we observe to balance out the lack of scepticism and critical thinking in our societies.

We need more people arguing that perhaps oranges aren't orange to counterbalance the majority which questions nothing.

EDIT: it was ACIN who mentioned asai, which only shows Descartes was right: I shouldn't trust my senses.

[a completely inoffensive name]

All too easily "common sense" is abused to force one's opinion through another one's throat.

I'm going to make a bold statement: common sense is an obstacle in philosophy and therefore has no place in it. It imposes a limit and as such becomes a roadblock to innovative and new ideas. Common sense stands in the way. And not only in philosophy.

I understand @asai about Descartes and some philosophers living in Ivory Towers, and to a certain degree, I concur, but Descartes' was groundbreaking in the sense that his ideas force you to be skeptical about everything, even about things you observe. He takes it to the extreme, which becomes a bit silly, but there is merit in it.

Perhaps it is nothing more than an impression, but I have the impression that in our modern day Western societies, people are not sceptical enough. Everything mainstream media throws at them, is accepted as fact and truth. Sure, you can say some of his ideas are silly, but we need more Descartes who learns us to distrust everything we observe to balance out the lack of scepticism and critical thinking in our societies.

We need more people arguing that perhaps oranges aren't orange to counterbalance the majority which questions nothing.

If I had more time I would make more of an effort to discuss everything you said. But I am way to tired, so I will just ask one quick question.

If you believe that common sense has no place in philosophy, do you believe that our moral intuitions should be completely disregarded in the philosophy of ethics?

[a completely inoffensive name]

I have been using common sense has a substitute for asserting what appears to be obvious on a basic level of observation.

Common Sense is often abused as a description for "my opinion". Asserting that we all see the clock and can read the same time from it, is a common sense standpoint imo. There is a place for this kind of assertion and I feel it has its merits as well as the more subjective and skeptical views.

[a completely inoffensive name]

I think instead of using the phrase "Common Sense" you would want to be more specific in what kind of knowledge deficit the other person lacks, if you wanted to be all logical and stuff. For example instead of "Geez, of course that's not how it happened, don't you have any common sense?" you could say "Actually, I don't think the Dinosaurs landed on the moon. I'm pretty sure space explored them, not the other way around. Your lack of basic factual knowledge is staggering."

I agree. I was just borrowing the term from Monty who brought it up with his original post and adapted the definition I thought he was associating with it.

[Andres]

Common sense is a rather vague notion and in a lot of instances, people use it as denominator of what they think is the mainstream opinion of society or simply what they think is correct.

If you say that the clock shows that time, then it is not "common sense" to say that it's now x hours late. It's just that late. Besides, there are arguments contra. The clock could be inexact, in another part of the world, the time is not the same etc. Now, one could argue that it is "common sense" not to start a discussion about how late it is, since we all see the clock, but in a way, it's not common sense, but your opinion. You just say it's common sense to accept that what the clock says is the right time, because you're not interested in a discussion about time zones or about flaws in clock mechanisms that make them inexact. By using the notion "common sense", you avoid the dicussion and attempt to finish it. You stiffle the debate and make it impossible to have a discussion about better clock mechanisms or about time zones.

In the clock example, it can be defended that it would be silly to constantly doubt the time the clock is showing, but where do you draw the line? When is a discussion worth having and not worth having?

The most common answer to that last question, would probably be: use common sense.

If you go far enough however, you'll find out that everyone has a different opinion on what common sense is. If nobody fully agrees on what common sense is in all circumstances, than perhaps it's not so common.

Common sense doesn't exist and thus cannot be used as an argument.

[Fragony]

^

According to Descartes the only thing you can be sure about is your own existance, cogito ergo sum, I think therefore I am

[Vuk]

What i don't like, is the very beginning of the "modern" philosophy and traditions with people like Descarte talking about demons tricking your eyes or whatever the garbage he spews to justify God's existence.

lmbfao :P

[Fragony]

The point is that thing you just missed ACIN. Heck, I don't even like philosophy. Descartes is kinda a rebel.

[Fragony]

There is nohing more satisfying than hearing these flies having a slow slow and horrible death on the sticky straps I hung up for them, it's like a christmas tree, but with flies. No mercy if you keep harrasing me. I hate flies. They keep comming for my nose and eyes, and the rest of whatever pieces of my body they can, and when they don't they are just doing nothing but flying. HATE flies

[Ibrahim]

-God, Red Orchestra 2 kicks my bum down to the bone!

-I wish faster than light travel was possible within the decade. too bad it won't happen, but I so want to see another Earth-like planet.

-maybe I should have gotten a degree in physics--I could be the guy who makes the Alcubierre drive possible

[The Lurker Below]

HA! I'm still waiting on my Back to the Future hoverboard.

[Fragony]

Sunday in my beautifull little town, having a hangover soothed by the jazz-band playing the saxophone a few meters away. Living here just bleeds pure class, I really like living here

http://www.google.nl/search?hl=nl&si...KYmN7QaytIGYAQ

[a completely inoffensive name]

Did a spur of the moment trip this weekend to visit a friend. Managed to get through a party where I literally did not know anybody. Probably was the most social I had ever been for about a year or two.

For some reason though, after the party I ended up not sleeping the entire night and barely got an hour and 30 min nap before I drove all the way back to my place. I'm still not sleepy or hungry. I think my brain doesn't know how to cope with large groups.

[Fragony]

Looks like I have a new stern dad. Friend of mine cut open his fist for whatever reason and I asked my neighbour if he had some jodium. I had some antibiotics laying around and they were brutily confiscated by my new stern dad. No I couldn't get them back, as I am no doctor. I pointed out that I might need them in the case of a zombie-apocalypse, it didn't work. I just got beaten at survival

[Vuk]

? Care to explain?

[Fragony]

? Care to explain?

Oh common, you know what we do here in the weekends, want to play ;)

[Fragony]

Volunteering to run around with grannies. Giving them a nice day out, me and my friends can provide them with the most fun they had since ever, no, not like that you pervert. Tagging them along on the waters & barbecue on empty islands, that should be a welcome change of pace for these oldies

[Vuk]

Volunteering to run around with grannies. Giving them a nice day out, me and my friends can provide them with the most fun they had since ever, no, not like that you pervert. Tagging them along on the waters & barbecue on empty islands, that should be a welcome change of pace for these oldies

Sure...

[Fragony]

Sure...

See, you thought of it, busted me gusta

[Vuk]

Who knows, you may be able to find a sugar momma!

[Rhyfelwyr]

Maybe you could recruit some new members for the fight club?

[Vuk]

lol, this must be punk the Frags day! lol

[Montmorency]

Is there such a concept as 'supervenient revenge'?

[Vuk]

10?

[Fragony]

Maybe you could recruit some new members for the fight club?

Oh you want to. No new members yet people are so boring sometimes. We got 6 now want to join ;)

We will be nice I promise

[a completely inoffensive name]

Interior crocodile alligator. I drive a Chevrolet movie theater.

[Vuk]

Great, I am having heart trouble just four days before I start my new job! lol

[Fragony]

Just heard the owner of the Italian restaurant on the opposite side of my street hanged himself. Not so sure about this I have seen some people lately there that walked out of their sportscars, with very wrong coats and hats, patting him on the cheek, the 'my boy' kind. Pure Sicilia at your door. Can't have been hs revenues, it's a pretty good restaurant that is almost always full

[Vuk]

Oh no! Hope its nothing serious.

I have no idea. I haven't went to the doctor for it. It is just beating really weird and I am really short on breath.

[Fragony]

Count your blessings. My house is really small but really nice, all my friends are idiots but really good at being one but I can trust them with my life, and my cats are awesome. You don't need all that much.