It’s unclear if we dwell in a very sensible period, however we clearly dwell in a very “sensible” period. That’s, the utilization of the phrase “sensible” is much extra frequent than ever earlier than. We’re instructed {that a} new TV present or journal article is particularly “sensible,” a job is marketed as searching for “sensible” candidates, individuals say that one of many issues they love most about their companion is how “sensible” they’re.

These anecdotal information are borne out by massive scale Google NGram information:

Supply: Google Ngram Viewer

This image shows “sensible” plugging alongside for about two centuries as a comparatively unusual (however not uncommon) phrase, after which starting an upward development round 1980. It’s now about 6 occasions extra frequent in written language than it was a couple of many years in the past and, because the graph signifies, the development exhibits little signal of abating.

What explains this linguistic change? One thought is that we’ve change into extra fixated, as a society, with intelligence, and that “sensible” is our handiest phrase for speaking about it. There’s some plausibility to this; the pc age has rendered intelligence far more salient and maybe extra prestigious than it was in earlier occasions. However we really do not see this tendency within the language:

Supply: Google Ngram Viewer

Protecting the identical interval, this graph exhibits that “clever” has diversified through the years however is now about precisely as frequent because it was in 1800. In truth, for many of the final two centuries, “sensible” was a less-common phrase than “clever.” Now it’s nearly twice as frequent. This means that our new obsession is just not with being clever, however with being “sensible.” So what does “sensible” imply?

One easy speculation, instructed by most dictionaries, is that “sensible” simply means “clever” (or, maybe, having a sure form of nimble or easy intelligence). However this speculation runs into a few issues. First, we’ve seen that the rise of “sensible” far outstrips that of “clever,” suggesting that one thing else is at work. Second, reflection on what individuals imply after they say they’re searching for one thing or somebody “sensible” belies this speculation. We do in any case have tough and prepared strategies of estimating intelligence, comparable to IQ assessments, however these should not fairly what the unusual utilization of “sensible” appears to convey. When somebody says {that a} new tv present is “sensible,” she is often not expressing, or not solely expressing, that it’s the product of somebody with an atypically excessive IQ.

To suppose extra deeply in regards to the which means of “sensible,” we have to transfer away from dictionaries and replicate on the position of evaluative language extra broadly. The thinker Bernard Williams launched the concept of “thick ideas.” The thickness of those ideas or phrases lies in the truth that they serve not solely to explain the world, but additionally to precise evaluations of it.

Think about a phrase like “braveness.” Allow us to say that somebody jumps right into a harmful ocean to avoid wasting a drowning youngster. Once we say this act confirmed “braveness,” we’re plausibly saying a minimum of two issues: First, that the act demonstrated a sure diploma of tolerance of danger or hazard. Second, that the act is praiseworthy, partially for that reason. If somebody jumps right into a harmful ocean for no cause in any respect, or for leisure, she can also be demonstrating a tolerance of danger or hazard. However her act is just not brave, for there’s nothing praiseworthy about it. “Braveness” considerations not solely what occurred, but additionally our angle towards it.

I recommend that “sensible” is loads like this. Once we describe an individual or act as “sensible,” we’re saying a minimum of two issues: First, that the particular person or act shows a point of intelligence. However this isn’t all. The opposite facet of “sensible” is an evaluative one. It says, roughly, that this show of intelligence is one which the speaker considers praiseworthy, or which accords with the speaker’s values. If there’s a cleverly worded commercial in favor of a political trigger that I help, or a thoughtfully posed objection that helps my perspective, that’s “sensible.” But when there’s a cleverly worded commercial in help of my political opponent, or an objection which undermines my favored concept, that’s not sensible in any respect.

This account of the which means of “sensible,” whether it is heading in the right direction, encourages a level of warning. Thick ideas are infamous for the best way they construct evaluative views into purportedly impartial language. Think about “chaste.” This time period has a sure descriptive content material to it, nevertheless it additionally tacitly accepts a sure view of gender and sexual morality, one which many people would now reject. We’re subsequently rightly reluctant to explain individuals as “chaste,” and I believe we should always present a measure of reluctance towards “sensible” as effectively, which isn’t as descriptive because it appears to be. To chorus from utilizing “sensible” is to embrace a sure humility, a sure distance from our personal evaluations.

The same level applies to those that aspire to ask “sensible” questions or to pursue “sensible” plans. This seems to be like a purpose of being clever in thought and motion. But when the foregoing is true, it’s inevitably one thing apart from that: a purpose of being clever in thought and motion, however in that sure method that’s permitted of by one’s viewers. This can be a purpose that one usually satisfies solely by displaying each intelligence and a sure measure of conformity. Equally, somebody seeking to rent “sensible” workers, or to learn “sensible” articles, will usually be searching for out individuals or writing which, amongst different issues, affirm her personal worldview. It might be that, if we’re excited by pursuing and supporting intelligence in all its selection, we ought to be rather less involved with being “sensible.”