Thomas Reid, an 18th-century Scottish philosopher, is known for his advocacy of "common sense" as the basis of all human knowledge and reasoning. His statement, "Common sense is the foundation of all reasoning," serves as a cornerstone of what is known as Scottish Common Sense Realism, a philosophical school of thought that stood in opposition to other prevailing ideas of the time, such as empiricism and skepticism.
The concept of "common sense" for Reid was not about everyday wisdom or practical knowledge per se, but rather the foundational beliefs that we hold and consider self-evident, without requiring empirical or logical validation. These beliefs include the existence of an external world, the continuity of time and space, and the idea that other minds besides our own exist. According to Reid, these are the axioms upon which all our further reasoning and knowledge are built.
Reid's argument arises, in part, as a response to philosophical skepticism, especially as found in the work of David Hume, who questioned the possibility of attaining certain knowledge. Reid wanted to provide an alternative to skepticism by affirming that there are foundational principles that don't need to be proven to be trusted. For Reid, doubting these principles would not just be impractical but would also involve a kind of self-contradiction, as even the skeptics rely on common-sense principles to make their arguments.
Moreover, Reid's notion of common sense had implications for epistemology, the study of knowledge. If common sense is the foundation of all reasoning, then the role of philosophy is not to replace or surpass common sense, but rather to articulate, clarify, and build upon it. Philosophy, in this view, is not a separate realm of abstract thought but is deeply rooted in the principles that guide our everyday reasoning and behavior. This perspective stood in contrast to other philosophical approaches, like rationalism and empiricism, which sought a foundation for knowledge in pure reason or sensory experience, respectively.
Reid's idea also has significant implications for scientific inquiry. If common sense serves as the basis for all reasoning, then scientific theories and hypotheses must be compatible with these foundational beliefs or at least should start from them. That doesn't mean that common sense can't be refined or that our intuitive beliefs are infallible; rather, it suggests that any attempt to understand the world must be grounded in the basic principles that are already accepted as self-evident by most people.
This emphasis on common sense had a broad impact, influencing not just philosophy but also psychology, education, and other fields. In psychology, for example, Reid's ideas laid the groundwork for the study of human cognition as fundamentally rational and geared toward making sense of the world, a perspective that contrasted sharply with the tabula rasa (blank slate) views of empiricists like John Locke.
In summary, Thomas Reid's assertion that "Common sense is the foundation of all reasoning" serves as a pivotal statement in the history of philosophy, particularly in epistemology. It represents a reaction against skepticism and a move towards grounding human knowledge in foundational beliefs that are widely accepted and self-evident. Reid's view holds that these basic principles form the bedrock on which all further inquiry and reasoning are based, setting the stage for a philosophical approach that seeks to articulate and build upon the principles of common sense rather than replace or challenge them.
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