A Project On

Commonsense in Sociological Inquiry

Submitted to :-

Submitted by :-

Dr. Uttam Kumar Panda

Ekta Chandrakar
Semester - 1

(Assistant Prof. of Sociology)

Roll No. 62, Section- C

(B.A., L.L.B. Hons.)

Sociology Project
( Date of Submission :- 08-10-2015 )
HIDAYATULLAH NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY
Uparwara Post, Abhanpur, New Raipur -493661(C.G.)

Acknowledgements

I feel highly elated to work on the topic Commonsense in Sociological Inquiry.

The practical realization of this project has obligated the assistance of many persons. I express
my deepest regard and gratitude to Dr. UTTAM KUMAR PANDA our Assistant Professor of
Sociology. His consistent supervision, constant inspiration and invaluable guidance have been of
immense help in understanding and carrying out the nuances of the project report. I would like to
thank him generously for giving me the opportunity to delve into this topic. I believe this will be
of greater importance in the near future.
I take this opportunity to also thank the University and the Vice Chancellor for providing
extensive database resources in the Library and through Internet.
I would be grateful to receive comments and suggestions to further improve this project report.
Ekta Chandrakar
Semester - I
Roll No. 62

Declaration

I hereby declare that the project work entitled Commonsense in Sociological Inquiry
submitted to Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur, is a record of an original
work done by me under the able guidance of Dr. Uttam Kumar Panda , Assistant Prof. of
Sociology, Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur. The information submitted herein
is true and original to the best of my knowledge.

Date: 08.10.2015
Place: Raipur

Signature of the Student

Contents

Acknowledgements

Declaration

Introduction1

Review of related literature...2

Objectives3

Research Questions....3

Methodology..3
CHAPTER-1Sociology and Commonsense4
CHAPTER-2Sociology vs Commonsense...6
CHAPTER-3..From a sociological perspective...8
CHAPTER-4..Commonsense in the social sciences..11
Major Findings of the study..13
Conclusion..14
References15

Introduction
Sociology is the systematic study of social behaviour and human groups. It focuses primarily on
the influence of social relationships on peoples attitudes and behaviour and on how societies are
established and change. There are two levels of analysis in sociology. Macrosociology focuses
on broad features of social structures in society, such as social classes and the relations of groups
to one other. Microsociology focuses on processes and patterns of social interaction on a smaller
scale.It deals with such varied topics as families, the workplace, street gangs, business firms,
political parties, genetic engineering, schools, religions, and labour unions. It is concerned with
love, poverty, conformity, discrimination, illness, technology, and community.
Sociology focuses on the study of social behaviour. Yet we all have experience with human
behaviour and at least some knowledge of it. All of us might well have theories about why
people buy lottery tickets, for example, or why people become homeless. Our theories and
opinions typically come from common sensethat is, from our experiences and conversations,
from what we read, from what we see on television, and so forth. In our daily lives, we rely on
common sense to get us through many unfamiliar situations. However, this commonsensical
knowledge, while sometimes accurate, is not always reliable, because it rests on commonly

held beliefs rather than on systematic analysis. It was once considered common sense to accept
the idea that the earth was flata view rightly questioned by Pythagoras and Aristotle. Incorrect
commonsensical notions are not just a part of the distant past; they remain with us today.
Common sense tells us that young people today are out of control and are committing more
crime and more violent crime. We hear parents speak of the olden days when kids knew how to
behave, when they respected their elders. We hear and read in the media about groups of young
people ganging up on lone youngsters, bullying them, curbing them, and in what seems like
increasing instances, killing them. However, these particular commonsense notionslike the
notion that the earth is flatare untrue; neither of them is supported by sociological research.

Review of related literature

Besides the empirical grounding in careful observation and description of facts, sociology as a
discipline is characterised by its rigorous search for interconnections among different domains of
society and its systematic use of comparisons. These preoccupations make sociology antiutopian in its claims and anti-fatalistic in its orientation, and distinguish its 'generalised'
knowledge from localised commonsensical knowledge. ( Sociology and Commonsense,
Author(s): Andre Beteille Source: Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. 31, No. 35/37,
Special Number (Sep., 1996), pp.2361-2365 , Published by: Economic and Political Weekly )

Objectives

1. To study relationship between commonsense and sociology.

2. To study commonsense from sociological perspective.
3. To study commonsense in social sciences and its approach.

Research Questions

1. How is commonsense related to sociology ?

2. What is the difference between commonsense and sociology ?

Methodology

This research paper is descriptive in approach. It is largely based on secondary and electronic
sources. Books and other references as guided by faculty of sociology are primarily helpful for
the completion of this project.

Chapter- 1
Sociology and Commonsense

Many people mistakenly believe that sociology is the study of the obvious. They claim that
sociology is nothing but the application of common sense. But equating any science with simple
common sense could not be further from the truth! Common sense is not always common, nor
sensible. Statements like Birds of a feather flock together and Opposites attract, while
supposedly based on common knowledge, contradict each other. Because common sense does
not always accurately predict reality, people need something else.
Not every sociological finding is revolutionary; many findings do appear consistent with
common sense. By systematically testing common sense beliefs against facts, sociologists can
sort out which popular beliefs hold true and which do not. To accomplish this, sociologists use a
variety of social science research designs and methods.
Sociology as a discipline is more than common sense. Sociology is a method of inquiry that
requires the systematic testing of beliefs against evidence. Sociologists, therefore, make
determining whether specific ideas are fact or fiction their job.

'Sociology is the same as common sense. With the increase in technology and supposed increase
in the understanding of our society, sociology is becoming progressively more effective and
important in the break down and realisation of sociological problems and solutions. Sociology is
'the social science'. 'It is the study and analysis of human behaviour as a result of society'. The
aim of sociology is to study behaviour and establish it in a different way through testing and
research. Common sense on the other hand is the information that a person has learnt from
society as they have been socialised. For example, it is common sense to drive on the left hand
side of the road. It may seem useful to us, but it is not always necessarily correct. Some people
may argue that not everybody in the world is a sociologist, the majority of people that live
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on this planet do not attempt to prove or disprove theories, they live their lives as they have been
socialised to do so.
'Common sense is grounded in our personal experience.' For instance one particular person may
have experienced situations that have altered their common sense, or their perception of their
common knowledge. On the contrary, Sociological knowledge is spread over 'a multitude of life
worlds.' This means that it is viewed upon in a more general way, it has not been influenced or
affected by one single person, but instead has been interpreted and generated as a result of
numerous people from different environments. Probably the most significant contrasting
fundamental is that common sense is untested knowledge, or assumed knowledge that is simply
presumed correct. In sociology a statement is analysed, and a sociologists' goal is to
'defamiliarise the familiar,' to question what is known. A quote from Mark Twain sums up simply
the differences between the two; 'supposing is good, but finding out is better.' Zigmunt Bauman
suggests that in order to think sociologically, we must move beyond our common sense. This
means that sociological theories may begin as common sense statements, but in order for them to
become a sociological theory or idea, the sociologist must go that step further.
Common sense can be generalised as 'the thing everyone knows'. Since 'everybody' knows that
something is true, it is not questioned, it is just accepted by society, or the majority of a society to
be valid. Since there is no question of the validity of a common knowledge statement, this closes
down any argument against it. If it is the consensus that a certain piece of information or a

particular view is correct, it will not be questioned. This is the essential difference between the
two; social knowledge, i.e. sociology, has been taken that step further, it has been validated
through testing and scrutiny. This is what separates the two. Although they may be similar, and
common sense statements may form the basis for sociology, they are not defined as the same
thing. In conclusion to the statement, sociology and common sense are not the same things. They
have different attributes and different characteristics.

Chapter- 2
Sociology vs Commonsense

There are many ways in which sociology and common sense differ, starting with the basic fact
that sociology is a formal field of academic study, whereas common sense refers to people's
innate ability to understand and assess the things they see and hear on a regular basis. Sociology
focuses on the study of human interaction and society, while common sense can apply to human
interaction but can also apply to everything from managing one's money to making smart
decisions about one's health. Common sense is not a formal program of study (one cannot major
in common sense at a reputable university) and does not necessarily involve the use of research
and statistical analysis in the way that sociology does
Sociology is the study of the relation between the members of the society. Sociology is defined
as the scientific study of society and human behavior. Sociology looks for reasons for things, and
answers the social questions. Sociology is a science, and people need to come up with theories,
which may be tested to be proven, or disproven. The first people to realize this fact, and prove
their

theories

were

the

Europeans

in

the

nineteenth

century.

Common sense though, is the ideas that people know, just because it is common knowledge.
However, common sense, and what people think they know is not always true.

Common sense as people see it as true facts, it is just looked at to be true. Sociologists do
research to find out what really is the truth, and sometimes, their findings reveal that the reality
of a situation is the exact opposite of the common sense view. Common sense is merely assumed
information, while sociology uses detailed research to come up with findings that it does. Many
ideas that people believe to be true have been proven false when placed under a sociologists
research. Such as, the idea that the higher the percentage of alcoholics there will be population
who drink alcohol, the higher the percentage of alcoholics there will be in the population. This
has been proven wrong by sociologists saying many cultures have high consumption of alcohol,

but do not have higher alcoholism rates.

Common sense has a long history, dating back to when sociology first arrived in the world.
People in ancient civilizations often wondered about different ways of the world and how society
worked. However, in those times, when research was out of question, these people looked into
myths, and gods, and sometimes astrology, which helped lead to common sense. This seems to
be the beginning of people knowing something just because everyone believes it to be true.
Sociology is unavoidable, unless you somehow manage to survive from birth to adulthood
completely void of other human presence. Whether or not you realize, that through the most
minimal of social interaction, you are subconsciously studying the others around you, their
attitudes versus expressions, tone of voice versus emotions, how they conduct their behaviour in
accordance

to

basic

laws,

morals,

and

social

standing

etc.

Common sense on the other hand, well you either have it or you don't. Here's a simple example
Most of you already know the content of a video by reputation alone, this being said, lets
presume you have heard of this video, and are aware of the content and it's shock value, but have
never seen it (for obvious reasons) One day the opportunity to view it becomes available;
Common sense dictates to skip the invitation as you know it's going to be disgusting, and not one
of those things you need stuck in your head, despite the morbid curiosity.
Lack of common sense, is knowing what the video is by reputation, accepting the invite to view
it, then somehow managing to still be shocked by what you witness.

Chapter- 3
Commonsense : From a Sociological Perspective

It is often argued that sociological thinking is just a branch out of commonsense. People
associate it with analysing the obvious and providing circular reasoning that never seem to have
an empirical way of validation. However, further comparison of the two can show the
distinctions that can be illustrated by a simple reflection on our own lives. Everything around us
exists in a commonsensical dimension the size of clothes were wearing, the brand of car we
drive, or even the manner this essay is presented. It is commonsense that we choose the clothes
that fit us whether were an S or L size, we choose a certain type of car just because it allows us
to be perceived in a certain way, and this essay is written in formal English and passed up on
time because it contributes to our first year evaluation. These facts may seem unquestionably
simple and straightforward, but there is a deeper sociological value in them. Who gets to decide
which body shapes get to be a small size or a large size? Why do we feel much better driving a
Mercedes than a Hyundai? What is so important about a degree? These are the questions
sociological thought would implicate that commonsense would not able to.

First, the difference of the two is that commonsense is a collective body of observed knowledge
based on personal experiences, but sociological thinking is not. Nonetheless, it is understood that
a part of sociological thought is derived from commonsense and everyday observation. As
Berger once claimed,
To ask sociological questions, then, presupposes that one is interested in looking some distance
beyond the commonly accepted or officially defined goals of human actions. It presupposes a
certain awareness that human events have different levels of meaning, some of which are hidden
from the consciousness of everyday life. (Berger, 1963)
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Sociological thinking tries to view the society not as a group of isolated individuals or separate
institutions, but as a whole (Bauman and May, 2001, p. 8). According to Brown, the society is an
abstract concept that cannot be seen physically. It is a conceptual web of relations between
people and the social institutions (1979, p. 1-2) While commonsense is extracted and slowly built
up by practical knowledge of the everyday life, sociological thinking differs as it encourages
thoughts and ideas that are levels higher than individuals personal experiences; it sprouts
thoughts on society as a whole.

Second, sociological thinking allows challenges to the presumed commonsense and urges a more
radical and provoking approach to the social facts. According to Bauman and May, the
relationship between commonsense and sociological thinking is a rather dependent one where
sociological thinking is interpreting and investigating the meanings of social actions and facts
that has been branded by commonsense. Commonsense has already labeled meanings and
responses to most of the social facts that are collectively known by the members of society.
(2001, p. 7). The repetition of the actions become habitual, there are no more questionings for
the meaning behind commonsense and they are somehow categorized as true and standing ways
of life. (Bauman and May, 2001, p. 10) Another view of Browns can be incorporated to provide
a clearer view of the distinction of commonsense and sociological thinking. He argues that the
collection of the facts derived from collective common sense are not equivalent to sociological

thinking and research. It can only be fully understood with sociological theories(1979, p. 6-7)
with are formed with the sociological thought and imagination.

Third, sociological thought can be categorized as scientific while commonsense cannot. An

analytical comparison between commonsense and science by Nagel shows that science cannot be
leveled with commonsense (1974, p. 21). In his rebuttal to Nagels claim, Elliot strived to prove
that commonsense is a part of science in the most basic ways, such as the conduct of experiment
requires observation that is mainly an action that requires engagement and interpretation of the
researcher himself (1974, p. 24). To further assert the claim, Emile Durkheim explored the
9

positivist methodology in social science with his research on suicide. He thus affirms that
sociology can be a science, alongside biology and psychology (2004, p. 31). Sociological
thinking tries to view and analyse the social world from an objective standpoint while
commonsense is a product of an individuals subjective experiences and therefore, the latter
cannot be considered science.

Commonsense is culturally angled knowledge that is subjectively varied between individuals and
societies. However, sociological thinking attempts to postulate a higher level of consciousness
and objectiveness to the macro social trends and happenings in relation to the society as a whole.
C. Wright Mills once wrote, The sociological imagination enables its possessor to understand
the larger historical scene in terms of its meaning for the inner life and the external career of a
variety of individuals.(1959, p. 5). So, with the points above, it can be concluded that
sociological thinking is commonsense further evolved and probed to allow a greater
understanding of society.

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Chapter- 4
Commonsense in the Social Sciences

Probably the most important lesson to remember when conducting any research is that you
should use what might be called an educated common sense. You can understand the analytic
argument for common sense by considering the mind as a supercomputer storing enormous
amounts of information, not all of which may lie at the surface of recall. This holds true even
with the vast increase in computer power. Processing speeds of computers double every eighteen
months, according to Moores Law. That increase has made it possible to do enormous things
even with home computers. However, compared with the capabilities of the human mind, even
the most powerful computer counts by using its fingers and toes. The mind processes trillions of
pieces of information in mili nanoseconds (we dont know what they are either, but we do know
they are very small).When the results of the models and the minds diverge, it seems reasonable
to rely on the more powerful computerthe mind. It makes sense to do so, however, only if the
best information has been input into the mind. Common sense is not sufficient; we must use
educated common sense.

To see the difference between common sense and educated common sense, consider the problem:
Does the earth circle the sun or does the sun circle the earth? Uneducated common sense tells us
that the sun circles the earth, and that commonsense conclusion became built into society and
societys view of itself throughout the Middle Ages. To believe otherwise was heresy. In 1540,
Copernicus tried to fit that commonsense view with observations that classical Greeks had made
of the heavens. As he went about this task, he discovered that he could get a good fit of the data
with the theory only if he assumed the earth moved around the sun. His was an educated
common senserational thought based on observation and the best information available. It was
that kind of educated common sense that ultimately led to the scientific method. As
specialization makes us focus on narrower and narrower issues, it is important to keep in the
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back of our minds that scientific analysis has made us look at only part of the problem and that
we must also use our educated common sense to interpret the results reasonably.

THE SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH

The sociological approach goes beyond everyday common sense. Many people believe they
understand the world and the events taking place within it, often justifying their understandings
by calling it "common sense. " However, they have not actually engaged in a systematic attempt
to understand the social world. Sociology, is an attempt to understand the social world by
situating social events in their corresponding environment (i.e., social structure, culture history)
and trying to understand social phenomena by collecting and analyzing empirical data. This
scientific approach is what differentiates sociological knowledge from common sense.
For example, Peter Berger, a well-known sociologist, argued, that what distinguishes sociology
from common sense is that sociologists:
"[try] to see what is there. [They] may have hopes or fears concerning what [they] may find. But
[they] will try to see, regardless of [their] hopes or fears. It is thus an act of pure perception..."

Thus, to obtain sociological knowledge, sociologists must study their world methodically and
systematically. They do this through induction and deduction. With induction, sociologists gather
data on the ground and formulate theories about what they find. These theories are then tested by
using the scientific method in order to assess the theory's validity. In order to test a theory's
validity, they utilize deduction. Deduction is the act of evaluating their theories in light of new
data. Thus, sociological knowledge is produced through a constant back and forth between
empirical observation and theorization. In this way, sociology is more rigorous than common
sense, because sociologists test and modify their understanding of how the world works through
scientific analysis.
12

Major findings of the study

1. Sociology is the systematic study of social behaviour and human groups. It focuses
primarily on the influence of social relationships on peoples attitudes and behaviour and
on how societies are established and change.
2. Common sense is the information that a person has learnt from society as they have been
socialized.
3. 'Sociology is the same as common sense. With the increase in technology and supposed
increase in the understanding of our society, sociology is becoming progressively more
effective and important in the break down and realisation of sociological problems and
solutions.
4. Common sense can be generalised as 'the thing everyone knows'. Since 'everybody'
knows that something is true, it is not questioned, it is just accepted by society, or the
majority of a society to be valid.
5. Although they may be similar, and common sense statements may form the basis for
sociology, they are not defined as the same thing. In conclusion to the statement,

sociology and common sense are not the same things. They have different attributes and
different characteristics.

13

Conclusion

Common sense can be generalised as 'the thing everyone knows'. Since 'everybody' knows that
something is true, it is not questioned, it is just accepted by society, or the majority of a society to
be valid. Since there is no question of the validity of a common knowledge statement, this closes
down any argument against it. If it is the consensus that a certain piece of information or a
particular view is correct, it will not be questioned. This is the essential difference between the
two; social knowledge, i.e. sociology, has been taken that step further, it has been validated
through testing and scrutiny. This is what separates the two. Although they may be similar, and
common sense statements may form the basis for sociology, they are not defined as the same
thing. In conclusion to the statement, sociology and common sense are not the same things. They
have different attributes and different characteristics.

14

References

Books
Sociology and Commonsense, Author(s): Andre Beteille Source: Economic and
Political Weekly, Vol. 31, No. 35/37, Special Number (Sep., 1996), pp.2361-2365,
Published by: Economic and Political Weekly.

Websites

http://sociology.sunimc.net
http://sociologywithcandee.blogspot.in
www.boundless.com
http://www.tandfonline.com

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