Scottish common sense realism

Scottish Common Sense Realism was a philosophical school of thought that emerged in Scotland during the 18th and early 19th centuries. It was a significant intellectual movement that aimed to provide a rational foundation for knowledge and to counter skepticism and philosophical idealism prevalent at the time.

Key features and characteristics of Scottish Common Sense Realism include:

1. Empirical Realism: Scottish Common Sense Realists believed in the existence of an external world that can be known through the senses. They emphasized the importance of empirical evidence and observation as the basis for acquiring knowledge about the world.
2. Common Sense: The term “common sense” in this context refers to the innate and universal faculties of the human mind that allow individuals to perceive and understand reality. Scottish Common Sense Realists argued that certain truths are self-evident and universally accepted by human beings.
3. Direct Realism: The school upheld the position of direct or naive realism, which asserts that the objects of perception exist independently of the mind and are directly perceived as they are.
4. Rejection of Skepticism: Scottish Common Sense Realism sought to refute philosophical skepticism, which questions the possibility of certain knowledge. They believed that common sense and direct experience provided a solid foundation for knowledge and justified beliefs.
5. Influence of Thomas Reid: Thomas Reid, a Scottish philosopher, was one of the key figures of the Scottish Common Sense Realist movement. His major works, such as “An Inquiry into the Human Mind on the Principles of Common Sense” and “Essays on the Intellectual Powers of Man,” outlined and defended the principles of this school.
6. Impact on American Philosophical Thought: Scottish Common Sense Realism had a significant influence on American intellectual and philosophical thought during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Many early American thinkers, including John Witherspoon, James Madison, and John Adams, were influenced by the ideas of Thomas Reid and Scottish Common Sense Realism.

Scottish Common Sense Realism gradually declined in popularity in the 19th century with the rise of other philosophical movements, such as German idealism and British empiricism. Nonetheless, its ideas on the reliability of common sense, direct perception, and empirical evidence have had a lasting impact on the history of philosophy and continue to be subjects of interest and debate in contemporary philosophical discussions.