BE PRAGMATIC
Pragmatism is defined as thinking
about solving problems in a practical and sensible way rather than by having
fixed ideas and theories .
A
pragmatic solution of a problem may be called practical, down-to-earth,
hard-headed, sensible, businesslike, realistic, and utilitarian.
According
to a famous quote: Pragmatism is a philosophical approach that emphasizes
practical consequences and real-world applications over abstract theories. It asserts that the meaning and
truth of ideas are determined by their practical consequences and usefulness in
solving problems and achieving desired outcomes.
If
a person is non-pragmatic, he is not serious about the results of his efforts;
he is slow in making right decisions; he is not sufficiently adaptable; and
more often than not he fails in solving his problems.
According
to Bertrand Russell ,the British philosopher and logician (1872-1970): Although
pragmatism may not contain ultimate philosophical truth, it has certain
important merits. It realizes that the truth that we can attain to is merely
human truth, fallible and changeable, like everything human. What lies outside
the cycle of human occurrences is not truth, but fact of certain kind.
Russell
goes on to add: Truth is property of beliefs, and beliefs are psychical events.
Moreover their relation to facts does not have the schematic simplicity which
logic assumes. Beliefs are vague and complex, pointing not to one precise fact,
but to several vague regions of fact.
On
the whole Russell finds a good deal of unacceptable drawbacks in pragmatics because of their not being perfectly logical. However, he
does not reject them outright.
Finally,
it would be wise to be pragmatic because of its merits of practicality which
are not available in non-pragmatic approaches.
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G.R.Kanwal
13 August 2025
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