Notes

But it’s only appearance. Philosophers are not mad; they do not really doubt our world picture. In ‘all the history of philosophy, we never read of any skeptic that ever stepped into fire or water because he did not believe his senses . . . ’ (EIP II. v [259b]). The calling of the philosopher is to proceed in philosophy as he does in everyday life, namely, to take for granted the principles of common sense as he goes about his work of discussing philosophical issues. Included within philosophy so understood will be a careful anatomy of the principles of common sense and of how they work, along with a defense of those principles against misguided attacks. But philosophy done in a Reidian spirit is not confined to such topics; Reid’s own philosophical endeavors were not so confined.