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The term 'common sense' derives from the Latin phrase *sensus communis*, signifying shared knowledge, judgment, and taste.
Answer: True
Explanation: The term 'common sense' originates from the Latin phrase *sensus communis*, which translates to knowledge, judgment, and taste that is widely shared.
The ancient Greek term related to the Latin *sensus communis* is *koinē aisthēsis*, meaning 'common feeling' or 'common perception'.
Answer: True
Explanation: The ancient Greek term *koinē aisthēsis* is considered the precursor or equivalent to the Latin *sensus communis*, referring to a common perception or feeling.
The Greek term *koinē aisthēsis* is the direct translation of the Latin *sensus communis*.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Greek term *koinē aisthēsis* is widely considered the direct conceptual equivalent or translation of the Latin *sensus communis*.
What is the Latin phrase from which the term 'common sense' originates?
Answer: Sensus communis
Explanation: The term 'common sense' originates from the Latin phrase *sensus communis*, meaning knowledge, judgment, and taste that is widely shared.
The Greek term *koinē aisthēsis* is the direct translation of which Latin term?
Answer: Sensus communis
Explanation: The Greek term *koinē aisthēsis* is widely understood as the direct conceptual equivalent or translation of the Latin term *sensus communis*.
According to Aristotle, the faculty of 'common sense' served primarily as the mechanism for perceiving abstract philosophical truths.
Answer: False
Explanation: Aristotle described the 'common sense' faculty not for abstract truths, but as the means through which animals, including humans, process various sense perceptions, memories, and imagination to form basic judgments about particular objects.
In Aristotle's philosophy, 'common perceptibles' referred to qualities like color and sound, which could only be perceived by a single specific sense.
Answer: False
Explanation: Aristotle distinguished between 'specific perceptibles' (perceived by only one sense, like color) and 'common perceptibles' (properties shared by multiple senses, such as motion, shape, and size), which were processed by the common sense faculty.
Aristotle suggested that the common sense faculty was the origin of consciousness, making individuals aware of having sensations.
Answer: True
Explanation: Aristotle proposed that the common sense faculty served as the origin of a type of consciousness, enabling awareness of sensory experiences.
Plato's Socrates proposed a distinct 'common sense' faculty that integrated sensory input, similar to Aristotle's concept.
Answer: False
Explanation: Plato's Socrates viewed the recognition of common aspects as an active thinking process within the rational soul, rather than a sensory faculty, contrasting with Aristotle's concept of common sense.
Aristotle occasionally referred to the common sense faculty as *prōton aisthētikón*, meaning 'first of the senses'.
Answer: True
Explanation: Aristotle sometimes used the term *prōton aisthētikón*, or 'first of the senses,' to denote the common sense faculty, particularly when emphasizing its higher-order role in integrating sensory input.
In the Middle Ages, the 'five wits' were considered external senses responsible for direct interaction with the physical world.
Answer: False
Explanation: In the Middle Ages, the 'five wits' (common sense, imagination, fantasy, vis aestimativa, and memory) were understood as internal senses that complemented the five external senses.
The Latin term *sensus communis* retained its exact Aristotelian meaning throughout the Roman Empire without any significant evolution.
Answer: False
Explanation: The meaning of *sensus communis* evolved in the Roman Empire, particularly under Stoic influence, acquiring an ethical dimension related to community and shared sensibility, diverging from its purely Aristotelian sensory integration role.
Stoic Greek terms like *koinos nous* (common mind/reason) and *koinonmosýnē* (fellowship) influenced the Roman understanding of *sensus communis*.
Answer: True
Explanation: Stoic philosophical concepts, including *koinos nous* and *koinonmosýnē*, significantly shaped the Roman interpretation of *sensus communis*, imbuing it with ethical and social dimensions.
The Roman concept of *communis sensus* was closely related to *humanitas*, encompassing humane conduct and refined manners.
Answer: True
Explanation: The Roman *communis sensus* was intricately linked with *humanitas*, signifying not only human nature but also aspects of humane conduct, civility, and shared societal sensibility.
According to Aristotle, what was the primary function of the 'common sense' faculty?
Answer: To process various sense perceptions, memories, and imagination to form basic judgments
Explanation: Aristotle described the 'common sense' as the faculty that integrates diverse sensory inputs, memories, and imagination to form fundamental judgments about particular objects.
Which of the following was identified by Aristotle as a 'common perceptible'?
Answer: Shape
Explanation: Aristotle identified 'common perceptibles' such as motion, shape, and size, which could be perceived by multiple senses, distinguishing them from 'specific perceptibles' like color (sight) or sound (hearing).
How did Plato's view on recognizing common aspects differ from Aristotle's concept of common sense?
Answer: Plato's Socrates suggested it was an active thinking process in the rational soul, not a sense at all, contrasting with Aristotle's faculty.
Explanation: Plato's Socrates conceptualized the recognition of commonalities as a function of the rational soul's active thinking, distinct from sensory perception, whereas Aristotle posited a specific 'common sense' faculty for integrating sensory data.
In the Middle Ages, what was the collective term for the internal senses that complemented the five external senses?
Answer: The five wits
Explanation: During the Middle Ages, the internal senses were collectively referred to as the 'five wits,' which included common sense, imagination, fantasy, vis aestimativa, and memory.
How did the meaning of *sensus communis* evolve in the Roman Empire under Stoic influence?
Answer: It gained an ethical dimension, referring to a natural sensitivity for others and the community.
Explanation: Influenced by Stoicism, the Roman *sensus communis* acquired an ethical dimension, encompassing a natural sensitivity towards fellow humans and the community, extending beyond mere sensory processing.
What term did Aristotle occasionally use for the common sense faculty, signifying its primary role?
Answer: Prōton aisthētikón
Explanation: Aristotle occasionally referred to the common sense faculty as *prōton aisthētikón*, meaning 'first of the senses,' highlighting its foundational role in sensory processing.
Which of the following was NOT one of the 'five wits' recognized in the Middle Ages?
Answer: External Sight
Explanation: The 'five wits' in medieval thought referred to internal senses: common sense, imagination, fantasy, vis aestimativa, and memory. External sight is one of the five external senses.
What characterized 'common perceptibles' in Aristotle's philosophy?
Answer: Properties shared by multiple senses, like motion and size.
Explanation: Aristotle's 'common perceptibles' referred to qualities such as motion, shape, and size, which could be apprehended by more than one sense faculty and were processed by the common sense.
Beyond sensory perception, what did the Roman concept of *communis sensus* signify?
Answer: Pre-rational, widely shared human beliefs and a sensibility for others and the community.
Explanation: The Roman *communis sensus* encompassed not only sensory integration but also pre-rational, widely shared beliefs and a sensibility for community and fellow humans, aligning with *humanitas*.
René Descartes believed that common sense was the ultimate and sufficient tool for achieving rigorous philosophical understanding.
Answer: False
Explanation: Descartes, while acknowledging a faculty akin to common sense, considered it insufficient for rigorous philosophical understanding, advocating instead for a methodical, rational approach.
René Descartes proposed that the faculty of common sense was located in the cerebellum.
Answer: False
Explanation: René Descartes located the faculty of common sense, which he related to the soul's interaction with the body, in the pineal gland, not the cerebellum.
Descartes' use of the French term *bon sens* reinforced the technical Aristotelian meaning of *sensus communis* as a sensory integration faculty.
Answer: False
Explanation: Descartes' use of *bon sens* (good sense) popularized the meaning of common sense as practical judgment, which diverged from and eventually overshadowed the more technical Aristotelian concept of *sensus communis* as a sensory integration faculty.
Francis Bacon viewed common sense perceptions as inherently unreliable and a hindrance to scientific progress.
Answer: False
Explanation: Francis Bacon, while acknowledging the 'idols of the mind' that distort thinking, advocated for a science based on experience and induction, viewing common sense perceptions as a valid starting point for scientific inquiry.
Philosophers like Pierre Gassendi and Thomas Hobbes rejected the Aristotelian concept of common sense as a distinct faculty, moving beyond Descartes' views.
Answer: True
Explanation: Gassendi and Hobbes, influenced by mechanistic philosophies, rejected the notion of a distinct Aristotelian common sense faculty, aligning with or extending Descartes' departure from such concepts.
Where did René Descartes propose the faculty of common sense was located?
Answer: The pineal gland
Explanation: René Descartes posited that the faculty of common sense, the seat of the soul's interaction with the body, was located within the pineal gland.
Which French term did Descartes use, which later influenced the modern understanding of common sense as practical judgment?
Answer: Bon sens
Explanation: Descartes' use of the French term *bon sens* (good sense) in his *Discourse on Method* significantly popularized the notion of common sense as practical judgment, influencing its modern interpretation.
How did Francis Bacon view common sense perceptions in relation to scientific methodology?
Answer: He advocated for a science based on induction, viewing common sense perceptions as an acceptable starting point.
Explanation: Francis Bacon proposed a scientific methodology grounded in experience and induction, considering common sense perceptions as a valid, albeit potentially flawed, starting point for empirical investigation.
What two meanings did Descartes attribute to *bon sens*?
Answer: Basic ability to distinguish true from false (reason) and wisdom.
Explanation: Descartes defined *bon sens* with two primary meanings: the fundamental capacity to discern truth from falsehood (reason), and the perfected form of this capacity, which constitutes wisdom.
How did philosophers like Pierre Gassendi and Thomas Hobbes differ from Descartes regarding the Aristotelian concept of common sense?
Answer: They rejected it entirely, moving beyond Descartes in their rejection of it as a distinct faculty.
Explanation: Gassendi and Hobbes, adopting more mechanistic viewpoints, rejected the Aristotelian concept of common sense as a distinct faculty, thereby extending the critique initiated by Descartes.
During the Enlightenment, 'common sense' became associated with negative connotations, such as prejudice and superstition.
Answer: False
Explanation: While 'common sense' could be used negatively, during the Enlightenment, it was also increasingly associated positively with modernity, good taste, and sound judgment, contrasting with older forms of superstition.
Thinkers like Shaftesbury and Hutcheson linked common sense to a 'moral sentiment' and a sense of fellowship with humankind.
Answer: True
Explanation: Shaftesbury and Hutcheson developed an understanding of common sense that included a 'moral sentiment' and a sense of public spirit or fellowship, aligning with Roman concepts of *humanitas*.
Immanuel Kant primarily used the term *sensus communis* to refer to the basic, everyday practical judgment necessary for survival.
Answer: False
Explanation: Immanuel Kant adapted *sensus communis* primarily for his aesthetic theory, referring to a faculty of judgment that considers the mode of representation of all other men, serving as a standard for taste.
Thomas Reid, founder of the Scottish school of Common Sense, argued that common sense principles require extensive rational proof before acceptance.
Answer: False
Explanation: Thomas Reid argued that common sense principles are innate and compel belief without requiring rational proof; anything contrary to them is considered absurd.
Giambattista Vico defined *sensus communis* as judgment requiring deep, individual reflection and abstract reasoning.
Answer: False
Explanation: Giambattista Vico defined *sensus communis* as 'judgment without reflection, shared by an entire class, an entire people, and entire nation, or the entire human race,' emphasizing shared, unreflective understanding.
Vico believed that the Cartesian method alone was sufficient for adolescent intellectual development, negating the need for rhetoric or imagination.
Answer: False
Explanation: Vico critiqued the Cartesian method as potentially stunting intellectual development, arguing that training in rhetoric and imagination was crucial for adolescents to foster *sensus communis* and eloquence.
Fénelon and Buffier defended common sense as a foundation for knowledge that relied heavily on abstract metaphysical assumptions.
Answer: False
Explanation: Fénelon and Buffier defended common sense as an anti-Cartesian foundation for knowledge, emphasizing its role in providing certainty without recourse to abstract metaphysical assumptions.
For what specific area did Immanuel Kant primarily adapt the concept of *sensus communis*?
Answer: Aesthetics
Explanation: Immanuel Kant primarily utilized the concept of *sensus communis* within his aesthetic philosophy, defining it as a standard for taste and judgment that considers the subjective experience of others.
What was the fundamental principle of common sense proposed by Thomas Reid?
Answer: Common sense consists of principles that nature compels us to believe without proof.
Explanation: Thomas Reid's Scottish school of Common Sense posits that fundamental principles of common sense are innate and compel belief naturally, requiring no external proof.
Giambattista Vico defined *sensus communis* as:
Answer: Judgment without reflection, shared by an entire people or nation.
Explanation: Vico defined *sensus communis* as 'judgment without reflection, shared by an entire class, an entire people, and entire nation, or the entire human race,' emphasizing collective, intuitive understanding.
What was Vico's critique of the Cartesian method concerning education?
Answer: He thought it could stunt intellectual development by neglecting rhetoric and imagination.
Explanation: Vico contended that an exclusive reliance on the Cartesian method could hinder adolescent intellectual growth by neglecting the cultivation of rhetoric and imagination, which are vital for developing *sensus communis*.
Giambattista Vico sought to unite which two aspects in his definition of *sensus communis*?
Answer: Roman emphasis on shared judgment and Greek concepts of perception and imagination.
Explanation: Vico integrated the Roman emphasis on shared, unreflective judgment with Greek notions of perception and imagination to formulate his concept of *sensus communis*.
According to the Scottish school of Common Sense, what is the nature of principles accepted by common sense?
Answer: They are innate and compelled by nature, accepted without proof.
Explanation: The Scottish school of Common Sense, led by Thomas Reid, asserted that principles of common sense are innate, compelling beliefs accepted without the need for rational proof.
What ethical dimension did thinkers like Shaftesbury and Hutcheson add to the concept of common sense?
Answer: Linking it to good taste, public spirit, and a 'moral sentiment'.
Explanation: Shaftesbury and Hutcheson integrated ethical considerations into common sense, associating it with aesthetic judgment, public spirit, and an innate 'moral sentiment' or sense of fellowship.
What was the central argument of Fénelon and Buffier in their defense of common sense?
Answer: Common sense serves as an anti-Cartesian foundation for knowledge, providing certainty without abstract metaphysics.
Explanation: Fénelon and Buffier championed common sense as an anti-Cartesian basis for knowledge, asserting its capacity to provide certainty without relying on complex metaphysical frameworks.
G.E. Moore's 'A Defence of Common Sense' argued that common sense beliefs are inherently uncertain and require philosophical validation.
Answer: False
Explanation: G.E. Moore's 'A Defence of Common Sense' argued that certain common sense propositions are foundational and known with certainty, serving as the basis for philosophical inquiry rather than requiring external validation.
Hannah Arendt connected a lack of thoughtfulness, or *sensus communis*, to the potential for individuals to commit acts of great evil.
Answer: True
Explanation: Hannah Arendt posited that a deficiency in *sensus communis*, or a general lack of thoughtfulness and the ability to consider others' perspectives, could contribute to the phenomenon she termed the 'banality of evil'.
The goal of 'commonsense reasoning' in artificial intelligence is to replicate highly specialized, expert knowledge in narrow domains.
Answer: False
Explanation: The objective of 'commonsense reasoning' in artificial intelligence is to equip AI systems with the basic, implicit knowledge and judgment that humans typically possess, enabling more natural interaction and understanding of the world.
The debate between Gadamer and Habermas concerned whether common sense could serve as a basis for understanding or represented harmful prejudices.
Answer: True
Explanation: Gadamer and Habermas engaged in a significant debate regarding the role of common sense, with Gadamer emphasizing its potential for understanding and Habermas focusing on the need to overcome prejudices through rational dialogue.
Deirdre McCloskey argues that methodological individualism in economics is a valid approach that fully captures human behavior.
Answer: False
Explanation: Deirdre McCloskey critiques methodological individualism in economics, arguing that it imposes artificial constraints and fails to account for the broader social and rhetorical dimensions of human behavior, echoing historical debates on common sense.
The concept of *sensus communis* influenced the development of 'virtue epistemology' by highlighting the importance of shared understanding and basic beliefs.
Answer: True
Explanation: The historical discourse surrounding *sensus communis*, particularly its emphasis on shared understanding and foundational beliefs, has informed discussions within virtue epistemology.
What was the central argument of G.E. Moore's 'A Defence of Common Sense'?
Answer: Common sense propositions are foundational and known with certainty.
Explanation: G.E. Moore argued in 'A Defence of Common Sense' that certain fundamental propositions, accepted as common sense, are known with certainty and serve as the bedrock for philosophical reasoning.
Hannah Arendt connected a lack of *sensus communis* to which concept?
Answer: The banality of evil
Explanation: Hannah Arendt linked a deficit in *sensus communis*, or the capacity for thoughtful consideration of others, to the phenomenon she termed the 'banality of evil'.
What is the primary goal of 'commonsense reasoning' in the field of artificial intelligence?
Answer: To create AI systems that possess the basic, assumed knowledge and judgment that humans typically have.
Explanation: Commonsense reasoning in AI aims to imbue systems with the implicit, foundational knowledge and judgment characteristic of human understanding, facilitating more natural interaction with the world.
How did Gadamer suggest *sensus communis* evolved in 18th/19th century German philosophy?
Answer: It was emptied and intellectualized into theoretical judgment, losing its civic quality.
Explanation: Gadamer observed that in 18th and 19th-century German philosophy, *sensus communis* was often intellectualized into theoretical judgment, diminishing its original civic and communal significance.
What does Deirdre McCloskey argue against in economics, relating to historical discussions of common sense?
Answer: Methodological individualism, which assumes self-centeredness and ignores broader social dimensions.
Explanation: Deirdre McCloskey critiques methodological individualism in economics, arguing it artificially restricts analysis by assuming self-centeredness and overlooking crucial social and rhetorical dimensions of human behavior.