" COMMON - SENSE " is often UNCOMMON "

Commonsense is often uncommon. Let's examine whether this statement is true or acceptable. Here I am presenting four simple riddles to start with , which I had come across many many years ago, to trigger the senses or brood over and to find how much they are common or uncommon :-

(i) Can you name three consecutive days without using Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday ?

(ii) It is greater than God, if you eat it you will die. What is it ?

(iii) Mountain will crumble, Temples will fall, no man can survive its endless call. What is it ?

(iv) I am as small as an ant, as big as a whale , I ''ll approach like a breeze but also can come as a gale , by some I get hit, but all have shown fear, I ''dance to the music though I can't hear , I have many names but one is popular, I am as slow as a snail but from me you can't escape. What am I ?

In the process of answering these questions, we sense a query. If it is rare , why is it called a commonsense. Sadly the inability to figure out the obvious , we call as commonsense. Most people come to know only when they are told about it. For example people lack commonsense to figure out what is a propaganda or what is true in deciding whom to vote.

Webster's Dictionary defines Common-sense as having or exhibiting native or nouveau good judgment or the ability to make a sound judgment. There is an inquisitiveness to foretell what is to come. Commonsense helps in taking spot decisions and to make use of available resources. We don't use proper language at times and later it is our commonsense which makes us regret that it was not becoming of us to have used that word at that critical juncture - we could have used a better language and so on.

Expert Computer Programs are designed to work only in certain domains. They are hard of common sense possessed by a common man. The systems can not extend beyond the scope originally designed for. Common sense is what people " sense ' in common and would agree in common.

Common sense also refers to the beliefs or knowledge held by people in common. It does not require study or research but an extension of prudence, wisdom and experience of a person.

The ability to use knowledge about knowledge is exhibited in common sense. Situations change in time as a result of events. For example, antibiotic for cholera may kill the cholera bacteria but the damage to the intestine of the patient may cause loss of fluids that would be fatal. This is a new situation arising out of the cholera bacteria. Artificial intelligence faces problems in understanding concurrent events. But common sense , which a person by experience has in a particular field could visualize the concurrent or new event.

Another example to illustrate common sense :- Consider the fact that when two objects collide , they often make a noise. Common sense tells that this fact can be used :-
1) to make a noise
2) to avoid making a noise
3) to explain a noise
4) to explain the absence of a noise

Common sense is :-
(i) One is a sense of things being common to other things
(ii) The second is a sense of things that are common to humanity.

We can say God is common to humanity. I remember a story in this connection. A small merchant but known to be very pious in a village approached a land lord in the same village and asked for Rs50,000.00 as a loan. The land lord listened to his version but asked him to bring a witness. The merchant said " GOD " would be his witness. The land lord told him that Rs 50000.00 is half a lakh and it would be safer if at least he brought a surety. The merchant pleaded that " god " stands as a surety for him. The land lord knew the merchant to be pious and God being common to humanity, the landlord gave him Rs 500,000.00 in the name of God. But he put one condition that the merchant should return the money with interest within a span of 10 months.

The merchant had the commonsense what would fetch him quick returns and he went in the right direction. He also went abroad and made a big business. His earnings increased manifolds and he remembered that there was only short time ahead for returning the loan to the land lord. Unfortunately, he was not able to get a berth in the ship. He became restless in the thought what the delay would cause - an irreparable damage to his belief in God !. He decided to shove the currency in a hollow timber float and closed both the ends properly to avoid ingress of water and put the float in the water and he told himself that God stands witness to his action. The float guided by current of water and air travelled towards the other shore where the landlord was waiting to see if any boat or ship coming towards the shore where he was standing. The land lord saw the float touching his feet and with curiosity took the bamboo float in his hand and opened it. His surprise knew no bounds when he read a letter written by the merchant why he chose that last resort to send the money in that manner in the name of God. Tears engulfed the land lord's eyes and he looked up the sky to thank God for the merchant's welfare first and then only for himself.

The commonsense was with the merchant and also was with the land lord. The commonsense decisions made by them at that point of time has really mattered in the long run. It looks like a life's decision !!

I know you will be looking for the answers to the riddles. Let me add three more commonsense riddles before I answer all :-


(v) What is the color of the vest's sleeves ?

(vi ) The rungs of a 10 feet ladder attached to a ship are 1 foot apart. If the water rising at the rate of 1 foot per hour, how long will it take for the water to cover the whole ladder ?

(vii ) Start of Eternity:- I come at the end of time and at the start of eternity. I come four times every week but only once in a thousand years. WHAT AM I ????

The Answers to all the 7 Commonsense questions:

(i) yesterday, today, tomorrow

(ii) the answer to this riddle is 'NOTHING ".

NOTHING IS GREATER THAN GOD AND IF YOU EAT NOTHING, you will have to starve only when death is inevitable.

(III) TIME

(IV) SHADOW

(V) THE VEST DOES NOT HAVE SLEEVES

(VI) IT WILL NEVER COVER THE LADDER BECAUSE AS WATER RISES, SO ALSO WILL BE THE FLOATING SHIP.

(VII) THE LETTER " e ".

I finish this mail by referring to what Tenaliraman advised his son who was caught by the King's soldiers when he stole a currency of Rs.100.00. The King's soldiers caught him red handed and they were taking him to the King to award the punishment. Tenaliraman happened to come across at that time and saw his son's plight. COMMONSENSE guided Tenaliraman and shouted at his son " If you have a mouth, you will survive ". Tenaliraman's son also used his COMMONSENSE to figure out what his father meant. He immediately used his mouth to swallow the currency note of Rs.100.00. The soldiers were caught napping and had nothing to show to the King. They also knew very well Tenaliraman would come to his son's rescue at anytime to fool the soldiers altogether. THANKS TO COMMONSENSE !!!