What does it mean - a sane person? What criteria can be used to determine that one thinks sensibly and the other doesn't? These questions worried even the philosophers of antiquity. For example, Aristotle understood the term “sanity” as a set of skills and characteristics of people's perception, with the help of which they applied the same characteristics when describing any subject or object, phenomenon.
In other words, Aristotle believed that sanity is directly related to both rationality and sensory perception, although it differs from both of them. According to the thoughts of this philosopher, this personality trait helps people identify any phenomena, objects, emotions, actions and give them a characteristic.
What is sanity? Definition
According to the generally accepted understanding, a sane person is one who acts and thinks rationally, based on objective premises and stereotypes accepted in society.
Thus, common sense, according to a generalized definition, is nothing more than a combination of views on what is happening in life, on the surrounding reality, any phenomena or objects used by the overwhelming number of members of society.
Common sense is based on the skills and forms of thinking, perception, acquired in the process of evolutionary development, and existing in society ideas about morality, morality, “correctness,” or “rationality” of something.
What is sanity in social psychology?
A sane person from the point of view of social psychology is one who adheres to the generally accepted principles of perception of reality. In other words, this person shares the position of the majority of society in relation to any issues, phenomena or something else.
Thus, in social psychology, sanity is given the following definition - this is a whole system that includes the totality of accepted in society ideas about reality. Of course, in each individual culture, sanity is understood as something different, because the traditions, ideas, accumulated over the centuries, and the stereotypes of perception of reality formed under their influence are not identical.
What personality traits accompany sanity?
The term "sane person", the meaning in everyday life is given the same as that which philosophers and psychologists put into it. In everyday life, sanity is understood primarily as a person’s ability to adequate reasoning. In other words, people who reason soberly, start from real premises and are not prone to “floating in the clouds” are sane.
Also in the generally accepted aspect of understanding the term “sane person” there is also such a feature as pragmatism. That is, people with such a quality of personality as sanity, or inclined towards him, never make unreasoned decisions, do not show haste and rely in their actions only on objective information about what is happening around
What is not common sense?
A sane person is not inclined to actions dictated only by his dreams or due to information not finding objective confirmation. In other words, such people are distinguished by a high degree of rationality of thinking. All those qualities that are irrational are not characteristic of such a thing as "sanity."
People with a similar personality trait have clear logical thinking. They are not inclined to succumb to the tricks of hoaxers, scammers, deceivers. The manifestation of unreasonable confidence, fanatical addictions, ill-considered expenses or the absence of a permanent stable source of income is not characteristic of sanity.
There is a proverb about a tit in the hands and a crane in the sky. It most accurately characterizes what is characteristic of people with common sense, and what is foreign. That is, the “chasing a crane in the sky” is not typical for people with this personality trait. A sane person will always choose a "tit in his hands." In other words, any actions, actions or thoughts that are not rational and justified are not peculiar to such people.
Despite the inherent signs of pragmatism and rationality in common sense, it is in no way a scientific, philosophical, or common quality for all mankind. This is an extremely narrow perception of reality, characteristic of a particular individual social group. In other words, even within the framework of one culture, common sense for different social groups of people will not be the same. Such a personality quality as sanity is determined by the conditions surrounding a person. That is, sane people belonging to the "cream of society" and those who are engaged in professions that involve hard daily physical labor, think and behave differently.
What distinguishes sanity from similar personality traits?
Sanity is understood not only as a certain type of process of perception of the surrounding reality and specificity of reactions. In addition to the way of thinking of a person, this property includes a slightly different range of personal qualities.
One of the nuances that characterize sanity is the ability of the human mind to independently analyze and oppose persuasion from others. This means that a distinctive feature of sane people is considered the ability of their minds to withstand imposed judgments, agitation, various hoaxes, deceits. That is, people who are inclined to think sensibly easily distinguish the true state of things from distorted by someone, from someone else's interpretations.
Also, thanks to common sense, people adapt to the realities surrounding them. In other words, they naturally feel in the conditions in which they find themselves. For example, sanity allows a person to change occupation, acquire new skills or knowledge, if necessary.
How to learn to think sensibly?
Many people seek sanity. Almost everyone would like to distinguish between truth and fiction, not to accept anybody’s statements on faith, to separate truth from lies. Most people consider this quality of personality to be extremely positive and necessary for life.
But how to become a sane person? There is no single answer to this question, since everyone has their own understanding of the term “sanity”. Among the general recommendations given by psychologists, the most common are the following:
- independently think over the information;
- Do not make ready-made decisions of others;
- thoroughly analyze life situations;
- determine for yourself the good and the bad;
- not succumb to pressure from other people.
Of course, the acquisition of sanity includes the development of such qualities as pragmatism, attentiveness, rationality.