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Thu 26 Feb, 2004 09:23 pm
We see a fire, and we know it is hot, so we don't touch. But if we have never seen or heard of fire, and we didn't know what heat was, would we touch?
So, are we born with commonsense, or do we learn it?
We learn common sense. At least, the survivors do.
Common sense is the ability to determine what's real versus what's unreal, or in other words, good judgement, knowing the difference betweent right and wrong, and doing it.
A young child has to touch a hot stove in order to understand what hot means.
Keep in mind, too, that good judgement comes from experience. And experience comes from bad judgement.
I think that it's not so much you're born with common sense, but that some people learn it better than others. Some people try to experience more than others, and have a jump on learning common sense.
Some children have to touch the stove several times before it really sinks in. Skeptical empiricists in training.
truth
I don't equate practical thinking with "common sense." Theoretical work (i.e., uncommon sense) can also produce very practical results. I think of common sense as conventional thought, and a problem with it is that it's just too common.
People don't "not touch fire" because of common sense. People don't touch fire because of pain. Sadly, if there were no such thing as pain, I think a lot of people would melt parts of themselves for fun. Especially guys. Guys are just the ones dumb enough to mutilate themselves in the interest of fire.
Guys would do something like that huh? I once put 3 staples into my arm, also I once piled salt onto my hand and then smothered the salt with ice. WHAT A RUSH!
LMAO, I think I knew some guys in my high school who, if there was not pain, would probably set themselves on fire for fun. In fact, I think one of them actually figured out that if you cover your finger in lighter fluid it will burn painlessly for several seconds, and would actually do this every once in a while.
SWEET! I'm gonna have to try that lighter fluid trick, thanks!
I once burnt a circle on my hand while trying to see how close I could get the car cigarette lighter to my hand without burning my self(while driving)
I once melted some sugar in a spoon over a candle and stuck my finger in it. That was fun.
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