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How sociological knowledge and common sense is different?Substantiate with suitable examples.

First, the difference of the two is that common sense is a collective body of observed knowledge based on personal experiences, but sociological thinking is not. Nonetheless, it is understood that a part of sociological thought is derived from common sense and everyday observation. Sociological thinking tries to view the society not as a group of isolated individuals or separate institutions, but as a whole. It is a conceptual web of relations between people and the social institutions. While common sense is extracted and slowly built up by practical knowledge of the everyday life, sociological thinking differs as it encourages thoughts and ideas that are levels higher than individuals’ personal experiences; it sprouts thoughts on society as a whole. Sociological thinking allows challenges to the presumed common sense and urges a more radical and provoking approach to the social facts.  Common sense has already labelled meanings and responses to most of the social facts that are collectively known by the members of society. The repetition of the actions become habitual, there are no more questionings for the meaning behind common sense and they are somehow categorised as true and standing ways of life. Sociological thought can be categorised as scientific while common sense cannot. Sociological thinking tries to view and analyse the social world from an objective standpoint while common sense is a product of an individual’s subjective experiences and therefore, the latter cannot be considered science. Common sense is culturally angled knowledge that is subjectively varied between individuals and societies. However, sociological thinking attempts to postulate a higher level of consciousness and objectiveness to the macro social trends and happenings in relation to the society as a whole. So, with the points above, it can be concluded that sociological thinking is common sense further evolved and probed to allow a greater understanding of society.


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