Leads to "sensational discoveries" like those of Euclid or Copernicus by following a path of logic and evidence. 2. The Intellectual vs. The Scholar
Alexandru Paleologu's philosophical work, (Common Sense as Paradox), "common sense" is not the simplistic "simț comun" (herd mentality) often confused with it, but rather a rare, courageous form of intelligence capable of seeing obvious truths that others ignore.
Why read this essay in 2025? In an age of social media echo chambers and algorithmic polarization, Paleologu’s "paradoxical common sense" is more urgent than ever. alexandru paleologu bunul simt ca paradox pdf
"It’s a paradox!" the High Intellectuals cried, trying to reclaim their authority. "He has used a secret, higher form of logic!"
Seen as a master of "supreme common sense" despite his madness, because he knows the world is ugly but chooses to act as if it could be noble. Leads to "sensational discoveries" like those of Euclid
For Paleologu, common sense is the ultimate tool against totalitarianism. Ideologies require grand, abstract theories that ignore human nature. Common sense is stubbornly concrete. It asks: "Does this policy put bread on the table?" "Is this justice or revenge?" Because ideologies cannot answer these simple questions without lying, they must dismiss common sense as a "bourgeois prejudice" or a "paradox."
Exploring how truth often hides behind contradictions. "It’s a paradox
The book analyzes various cultural figures and concepts through the lens of this refined common sense: Don Quixote: