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Full Idea
On pragmatic principles we cannot reject any hypothesis if consequences useful to life flow from it.
Gist of Idea
Pragmatism accepts any hypothesis which has useful consequences
Source
William James (Pragmatism - eight lectures [1907], Lec 8)
Book Ref
James,William: 'Pragmatism - eight lectures' [Dover 1995], p.105
A Reaction
Most governments seem to find lies more useful than the truth. Maybe most children are better off not knowing the truth about their parents. It might be disastrous to know the truth about what other people are thinking. Is 'useful but false' meaningful?
| 1890 | We distinguish ambiguities by seeing what is useful [Sext.Empiricus] |
| 14794 | Instead of seeking Truth, we should seek belief that is beyond doubt [Peirce] |
| 14795 | Pragmatism is a way of establishing meanings, not a theory of metaphysics or a set of truths [Peirce] |
| 18989 | Pragmatism accepts any hypothesis which has useful consequences [James] |
| 6441 | Pragmatism judges by effects, but I judge truth by causes [Russell] |
| 13937 | New linguistic claims about entities are not true or false, but just expedient, fruitful or successful [Carnap] |
| 12625 | Pragmatism is the worst idea ever [Fodor] |
| 4746 | Pragmatism is better understood as a theory of belief than as a theory of truth [Engel] |