On 5/4/06, Phil Boswell phil.boswell@gmail.com wrote:
geni wrote:
On 5/4/06, Alphax (Wikipedia email) alphasigmax@gmail.com wrote:
It looks a hell of a lot like using common sense.
[[Monty Hall problem]]. "Common sense" is not a valid justification for decision making.
The reason the [[Monty Hall problem]] is a "problem" is because it appears to turn common sense on its head: the "exception that proves the rule".
That phrase makes no sense in commonly used modern english english.
Just because there exist carefully designed situations in which common sense will lead you up a carefully prepared garden path does not invalidate the application of common sense in each and every situation.
Ok then how about:
[[Proof that 0.999... equals 1]] or most of [[Quantum mechanics]]
Since there is no useful way of telling when "common sense" is going to break down it's use over logical deduction from evidence is not jusifiable.
The reason it is called "common sense" is after all because it commonly makes sense.
Our article on the subject disagres
-- geni