Language is in what we say and do. It affects us in ways that we are not always aware of. Certain events trigger certain responses and instruct us to act the way we do and common sense is the backing for some of it. Other times, we invoke logic to solve our problems, and then at other times, we use one of our most endearing human qualities, skepticism, to solve our issues.
Common sense has negative effects. In the event of a person saying “I’m sorry”, there is blame attached. Robin Lakoff discussed this in her book, The Language War. Her book reads: “It (an apology) is less important whether or not it is sincere, it is the form of an apology that counts.” What counts is that you say an apology at a given time. But, the negative aspect of an apology is not forgotten then. An apology places blame on whoever says it, so therefore, they have just taken blame for an event or mishap that they did not create or do. This is entirely the opposite of just sympathizing for someone else’s feelings. Common sense for one, instructs us to say “sorry” even when we are not genuinely apologetic.
When one can’t rely on common sense, one can always look for the validity in things and use logic as a problem solver. Logic solves problems and answers through a more scientific, and careful approach known as deductive reasoning. It is a more thought provoked path in discovering the validity in things. Scepticism finds answers through questioning with doubt. It is a third way of seeking answers. .
There is a connection between skepticism, logic, and common sense. This needs to be addressed. Skepticism is: “A doubting or questioning attitude or state of mind; dubiety” It can also be defined as: “A methodology based on an assumption of doubt with the aim of acquiring approximate or relative certainty.” While logic is “The study of the principles of reasoning, especially of the structure of propositions as distinguished from their content and of method and validity in deductive reasoning.” And common sense is good judgement. They all go hand in hand, that is that they all look for the validity in things. Skepticism questions it, logic studies it, and common sense gives us the answer to act according to our experience and values.