Pragmatism is the view that we should abandon the question of what is true in favor of the question of what is useful. Said differently, a theory is true—for pragmatists—if it helps us accomplish something, not if it accords with reality. Physics doesn’t describe reality, say pragmatists. Rather, it helps us put people on the moon, make atom bombs, and build self-driving cars.
What's the Use of Pragmatism?
What's the Use of Pragmatism?
What's the Use of Pragmatism?
Pragmatism is the view that we should abandon the question of what is true in favor of the question of what is useful. Said differently, a theory is true—for pragmatists—if it helps us accomplish something, not if it accords with reality. Physics doesn’t describe reality, say pragmatists. Rather, it helps us put people on the moon, make atom bombs, and build self-driving cars.