Common Sense

My Lecturer started off the class by explaining to us there is no such thing as “common sense”.
The whole class was stunned by this statement and disagreeing with a puzzled look on their faces, but we allowed her to give us more insight. She said, from the time we were born up to this day, our parents would correct us to do what’s right”. So her point was we were not born with knowing what a right from what wrong is.
I think we were on this topic for at least an hour, everybody had their input.
“Whatever definition one uses, identifying particular items of knowledge as "common sense" becomes difficult. Philosophers may choose to avoid using the phrase when using precise language. But common sense remains a perennial topic in epistemology and many philosophers make wide use of the concept or at least refer to it. Some related concepts include intuitions, pre-theoretic belief, ordinary language, the frame problem, foundational beliefs, good sense, endoxa, and axioms”.
(Citation: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
After reading this, I can see why she said so…
I know I had to make sense out of this to argue my point. At the same time, I didn’t want to contradict myself if I was to refer it to “Instincts”, or broaden their (the Philosophers) outlook at another angle when it comes to “Common sense”.
Let’s look at the two meanings:
Common Sense, based on a strict construction of the term, consists of what people in common would agree on: that which they "sense" as their common natural understanding. Most people would consider prudent and of sound judgment, without reliance on esoteric knowledge or study or research, but based upon what they see as knowledge held by people "in common". Thus "common sense" (in this view) equates to the knowledge and experience which most people allegedly have, or which the person using the term believes that they do or should have.
(Citation: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
An instinct is the inborn behavior of a living organism that is not learned. Instincts are thought to occur as fixed action patterns. These fixed action patterns are unlearned and inherited.
(Citation: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
This is such a broad topic to a point where I am trying to argue whether or not we should use the word “Common sense” and have them incorporate under the word “Instinct”… hmmm, where do I start?
Let’s start by extracting their views on why common-sense should not be used or why and when they choose to use it.
Sense in the human understanding exists that sees commonality and does the combining
Human understanding/Human Intuition/Human Instincts: all are mental functions that our senses use, however you want to twist it and turn it.
Commonality: the sharing of common attributes or as the old English sayings, “do as the Romans do”.
Now let’s dissect this.
Human Nature, when you think of this, what comes to mind? Human Nature! Something that we are all born with/instincts, which puts us back to a conscious state of mind to feel and act the way all normal human beings have in common.
This is really a broad topic, but so far we see that all the Human understanding/Human Intuition/Human Instincts and “sense” is concomitant to “common” in our human lives as we grow with knowledge.