IN 1776 THOMAS PAINE, a traitorous Englishman living in the American colonies, published a seditious 47-page pamphlet. Called “Common Sense”, it became a best-seller. It argued that the colonies ...

In the 18th century, philosopher James Beattie compiled a list of 17 common-sense beliefs. A few are incontrovertible: “I exist”; “A whole is greater than a part”; “Virtue and vice are different”. But ...

Common sense seems like it's hard to come by these days. In public or behind closed doors, common sense keeps us safe and helps us make rational decisions as we move through daily life. Unfortunately, ...