This week, Sean Graham talks with Michael North, author of Making Common Sense: On the Construction of the Obvious from Antiquity to AI. They talk about what counts as 'common' sense, its relation to the 5 senses, and how that understanding shaped perceptions of common sense. They then get into a discussion about the modern understanding of common sense, the difference between that and reason, and how algorithms and AI are shaping our understanding of what counts as 'common' sense.
Historical Headline of the Week
Jo Marchant, "The American Revolution's Overlooked Influence? Physics. How 'Common Sense' Spelled Out Astronomical Expectations for a New Nation," Smithsonian Magazine, Summer 2026.
