Explore tens of thousands of sets crafted by our community.
Pragmatism Concepts Explained
20
Flashcards
0/20
Truth is what works
In pragmatism, truth is viewed not as an absolute or static, but rather as a concept that is valued based on its practical success. If a belief leads to successful action or satisfactory results, it is considered 'true.'
Problematic Situation
John Dewey introduced this idea to denote a situation where habitual actions are blocked, leading to a state of doubt and the need for inquiry. It is the starting point for reflective thought and problem-solving in pragmatism.
Pragmatism
A philosophical tradition that began in the United States around 1870. Pragmatism considers thought to be a tool for prediction, problem-solving, and action, and believes the meaning of concepts to be derived from their practical effects.
Instrumentalism
A variation of pragmatism developed by John Dewey, instrumentalism sees the value of theories, concepts, and ideas in terms of their use as instruments to solve problems and predict outcomes, rather than as representations of reality.
Fallibilism
An epistemological stance associated with pragmatism which suggests that no beliefs are immune to being wrong, because human knowledge is constantly evolving and can always be revised in light of new evidence.
Radical Empiricism
A philosophical viewpoint developed by William James. It suggests that the relations between things are just as important for our experiential reality as the things themselves, emphasizing a holistic view of experience.
The Ethics of Belief
A principle in pragmatism stressing the moral obligation to ensure that one's beliefs are founded upon adequate evidence and rationality, recognizing the impact beliefs have on actions and society.
The Will to Believe
An essay by William James advocating the right to adopt a belief without prior evidence of its truth, especially in cases where a decision is urgent and evidence is unavailable, but only when the belief is a genuine hypothesis.
Experience and Nature
A work by John Dewey framing nature as an experience in which humans are actively involved and learn through interaction. It indicates a continuity between humans and their environment that is the core of pragmatic thought.
Community of Inquiry
Coined by C.S. Peirce, it stands for the idea that the process of inquiry is a collective endeavor. Knowledge is produced through the interaction and communication within a community, rather than by individuals in isolation.
The Pragmatic Maxim
Proposed by Charles Sanders Peirce, it suggests that to understand a concept's meaning, one should consider the practical effects its objects would conceivably have. It’s a rule for clarifying the content of hypotheses by tracing their 'practical consequences.'
Deflationary Theory of Truth
Aligned with pragmatism, this theory argues that the predicate 'is true' is merely a linguistic convenience and does not denote a property of an idea or proposition. Instead, it asserts that to declare 'P is true' is equivalent to simply asserting 'P'.
Expansive Naturalism
In pragmatism, expansive naturalism refers to the idea that nature encompasses everything, including human social and cultural artifacts. Unlike reductive naturalism, it doesn't confine reality to just physical entities.
Transactionalism
In pragmatism, this refers to the interdependent relationships that exist between organisms and their environment. It suggests that subjects and objects co-create reality through interactions, which contrasts with dualism's strict separations.
Pragmatist Aesthetics
This principle suggests that aesthetic experience should be understood in practical terms. The quality of an aesthetic experience is measured by its impacts on life and the enhancement of experience rather than by simply assessing beauty or form.
Continuity
Pragmatism holds that there is a continuity between thought and action, theory and practice. This means that ideas are not separate from the actions they prompt and are evaluated based on their practical outcomes.
Anti-essentialism
In pragmatism, this refers to the rejection of the notion that there are inherent, static essences that define things. Instead, pragmatists assert that things are defined by their ongoing and immediate utility.
Neo-Pragmatism
A contemporary form of pragmatism that emphasizes language's role in shaping our construction of reality. It often rejects traditional philosophical problems as unsolvable or unimportant, focusing instead on practical concerns.
Cash Value of an Idea
William James's metaphor suggesting that the 'truth' of an idea is akin to the practical payoff of a financial instrument. It highlights the usefulness of an idea in practical terms and its ability to produce satisfactory results in experience.
Meliorism
A concept in pragmatism that stands for the idea that the world can be made better by human effort, rather than being either inherently perfect or hopelessly flawed.
© Hypatia.Tech. 2024 All rights reserved.