--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's only one thing you can use…" description: "\"There's only one thing you can use against pure logic, and that's common sense.\" — Alan Cooper" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/alan-cooper-20407_common_there-s-only-one-thing-you-can-use-again_2931704.jpg" --- # There's only one thing you can use against pure logic, and… ![“There's only one thing you can use against pure logic, and that's common sense.” quote by Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/alan-cooper-20407_common_there-s-only-one-thing-you-can-use-again_2931704.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/alan-cooper-20407_common_there-s-only-one-thing-you-can-use-again_2931704.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/alan-cooper-20407_common_there-s-only-one-thing-you-can-use-again_2931704.jpg) > “There's only one thing you can use against pure logic, and that's common sense.” [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Common sense counters pure logic by grounding decisions in practical reality. **In simple terms:** Common sense balances logical reasoning. Key Takeaway Apply common sense to temper pure logic. Themes logic common sense decision making practicality reasoning Mood pragmatic thoughtful Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - business strategy - daily problem solving - policy development Key Concepts philosophy cognitive bias critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - When should you prioritize common sense over data? - How can you blend both effectively? A Different Perspective Overreliance on logic may ignore emotional factors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Common sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common-sense/) [Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logic/) [Logic Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/logic-common-2642888/) [One thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/one-thing/) [Pure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure/) [Pure Logic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pure-logic-425407/) [Use](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use/) [Use Pure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/use-pure-4324392/) ## Related quotes > [Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/means-we-use-must-be-as-pure-as-the-ends-we-seek/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [In contrast to logic, there is common sense, or still better, the Spirit of Reasonableness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-yutang/in-contrast-to-logic-there-is-common-sense-or-still-better-the-spirit/) [Lin Yutang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-yutang/) > [ “In good company one must never want to be entirely and solely right, which is what all pure logic wants \[...\].” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/in-good-company-one-must-never-want-to-be-entirely-and-solely-right/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [... if one were to refuse to have direct, geometric, intuitive insights, if one were reduced to pure logic, which does not permit a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-lebesgue/if-one-were-to-refuse-to-have-direct-geometric-intuitive-insights-if/) [Henri Lebesgue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-lebesgue/) > [Pure logic is the ruin of the spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/pure-logic-is-the-ruin-of-the-spirit/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Our emotions are PURE, our logic is KORRUPT](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/capital-steez/our-emotions-are-pure-our-logic-is-korrupt/) [Capital STEEZ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/capital-steez/) > [It was all very well going on about pure logic and how the universe was ruled by logic and the harmony of numbers, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-was-all-very-well-going-on-about-pure-logic-and-how-the-universe/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I'm pure geek, pure logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/i-m-pure-geek-pure-logic/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [The Power of Intuition is not Magic, but pure Logic for those who let it burst from their Inspiration! -RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rvm/the-power-of-intuition-is-not-magic-but-pure-logic-for-those-who-let/) [RVM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rvm/) > [The picture which the philosopher draws of the world is surely not one in which every stroke is necessitated by pure logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-raphael-cohen/the-picture-which-the-philosopher-draws-of-the-world-is-surely-not/) [Morris Raphael Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-raphael-cohen/) > [When the logician has resolved each demonstration into a host of elementary operations, all of them correct, he will not yet be in possession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/when-the-logician-has-resolved-each-demonstration-into-a-host-of/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Pure logic could never lead us to anything but tautologies; it can create nothing new; not from it alone can any science issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-poincare/pure-logic-could-never-lead-us-to-anything-but-tautologies-it-can/) [Henri Poincare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-poincare/) > [Science is simply common sense at its best, that is, rigidly accurate in observation, and merciless to fallacy in logic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-huxley/science-is-simply-common-sense-at-its-best-that-is-rigidly-accurate/) [Thomas Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-huxley/) > [I don't believe in god, so I don't have to make elaborately sounded structures. ... Pain always produces logic, which is very bad for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-o-hara/i-don-t-believe-in-god-so-i-don-t-have-to-make-elaborately-sounded/) [Frank O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-o-hara/) > [The general mental qualification necessary for scientific advancement is that which is usually denominated "common sense," though added to this, imagination, induction, and trained…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-henry/the-general-mental-qualification-necessary-for-scientific-advancement/) [Joseph Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-henry/) ## More by Alan Cooper > [“In all other construction disciplines, engineers plan a construction strategy that craftmen execute. Engineers don't build bridges; ironworkers do. Only in software is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/in-all-other-construction-disciplines-engineers-plan-a-construction/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [I just like so many different kinds of music that I like experimenting. I don't want to keep making the same record over and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/i-just-like-so-many-different-kinds-of-music-that-i-like/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [Just how do I design if not with prototyping? An excellent question. The short answer is 'on paper.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/just-how-do-i-design-if-not-with-prototyping-an-excellent-question/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [Define what the product will do before you design how the product will do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/define-what-the-product-will-do-before-you-design-how-the-product/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [It's harder than you might think to squander millions of dollars, but a flawed software development process is a tool well suited to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/it-s-harder-than-you-might-think-to-squander-millions-of-dollars-but/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [If you are not going to produce albums then you are not going to produce new fans. It's impossible. I'm a huge believer in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/if-you-are-not-going-to-produce-albums-then-you-are-not-going-to/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [Men do not greet one another like this ... except perhaps at rugby club dinners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/men-do-not-greet-one-another-like-this-except-perhaps-at-rugby-club/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [I just try and learn to be a good husband and be a good father before I am a good rock star. That means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/i-just-try-and-learn-to-be-a-good-husband-and-be-a-good-father-before/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [Because computers have memories, we imagine that they must be something like our human memories, but that is simply not true. Computer memories work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/because-computers-have-memories-we-imagine-that-they-must-be/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [If we want users to like our software we should design it to behave like a likeable person: respectful, generous and helpful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/if-we-want-users-to-like-our-software-we-should-design-it-to-behave/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [We don't fight about music. We don't fight about artistic direction. The things like that we could fight about, we really don't. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/we-don-t-fight-about-music-we-don-t-fight-about-artistic-direction/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [While making art you should just do what is in your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/while-making-art-you-should-just-do-what-is-in-your-heart/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [You Don't Have to Go Home from Work Exhausted!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/you-don-t-have-to-go-home-from-work-exhausted/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [Design principle: Take things away until the design breaks, then put that last thing back in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/design-principle-take-things-away-until-the-design-breaks-then-put/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) > [Usability methods are like sandpapering a chair. If you are making a chair, the sandpaper can make it smoother. But no amount of sandpaper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/usability-methods-are-like-sandpapering-a-chair-if-you-are-making-a/) [Alan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) [Explore all 31 Alan Cooper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/) ## More Common quotes > [I'm Fine!, the most common LIE in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/punkinhead-abhishek/i-m-fine-the-most-common-lie-in-the-world/) [Punkinhead Abhishek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/punkinhead-abhishek/) > [A flourishing, morally credible media is a vital component in the maintenance of genuinely public talk, argument about common good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/a-flourishing-morally-credible-media-is-a-vital-component-in-the/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [We find few historians who have been diligent enough in their search for truth; it is their common method to take on trust what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/we-find-few-historians-who-have-been-diligent-enough-in-their-search/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Our times demand the declaration of the world's resources as the common heritage of all people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/our-times-demand-the-declaration-of-the-world-s-resources-as-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [ Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a \[Soviet socialistic\] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-national-socialism-have-anything/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) > [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/) [Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down in the mind before you reach eighteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/common-sense-is-nothing-more-than-a-deposit-of-prejudices-laid-down/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [A time will come when the science of destruction shall bend before the arts of peace; when the genius which multiplies our powers, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-arago/a-time-will-come-when-the-science-of-destruction-shall-bend-before/) [Francois Arago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-arago/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [Those who advocate common usage in philosophy sometimes speak in a manner that suggests the mystique of the 'common man.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/those-who-advocate-common-usage-in-philosophy-sometimes-speak-in-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) [Browse all 7,866 Common quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's only one thing you can use against pure logic, and that's common sense.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Cooper" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/there-s-only-one-thing-you-can-use-against-pure-logic-and-that-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Common" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/there-s-only-one-thing-you-can-use-against-pure-logic-and-that-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/alan-cooper-20407_common_there-s-only-one-thing-you-can-use-again_2931704.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/alan-cooper-20407_common_there-s-only-one-thing-you-can-use-again_2931704.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37f/alan-cooper-20407_common_there-s-only-one-thing-you-can-use-again_2931704.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's only one thing you can use against pure logic, and that's common sense.” — Alan Cooper", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alan Cooper", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cooper/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's only one thing you can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/there-s-only-one-thing-you-can-use-against-pure-logic-and-that-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cooper/there-s-only-one-thing-you-can-use-against-pure-logic-and-that-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```