Science and Common Sense: between ruptures and continuities

Abstract

One important question related to the theoretical fundamentals of
educational practices in popularization and public
communication of Science is the one concerning the difficult
relation between scientific knowledge and common sense
knowledge. These are two forms of knowledge that seem to
exclude themselves mutually at the level of the criteria they use to
explain the phenomena. If Science develops itself by contradicting
common sense knowledge, how the popularization of scientific
results is possible at all? Is there a way back to common sense
that makes possible a dialogue between these two kinds of
discourse that strive to explain the same reality with so different
approaches? In this study, Bachelardian epistemology is revisited
and, taking into account the opinion of other philosophers and
scientists, we develop a critical standpoint that focuses and
underlines the importance of common sense in that old and
persistent discussion.