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Single Idea 18982

[filed under theme 14. Science / B. Scientific Theories / 3. Instrumentalism ]

Full Idea

The pragmatist view is that all our theories are instrumental, are mental modes of adaptation to reality, rather than revelations or gnostic answers to some divinely instituted world enigma.

Clarification

'gnostic' here means 'spiritual knowledge'

Gist of Idea

Pragmatism says all theories are instrumental - that is, mental modes of adaptation to reality

Source

William James (Pragmatism - eight lectures [1907], Lec 5)

Book Ref

James,William: 'Pragmatism - eight lectures' [Dover 1995], p.74

A Reaction

This treats instrumentalism as the pragmatic idea of theories as what works (and nothing more), with, presumably, no interest in grasping something called 'reality'. Presumably instrumentalism might have other motivations - such as fun.

The 47 ideas from William James

9285 'Consciousness' is a nonentity, a mere echo of the disappearing 'soul' [James]
9286 Consciousness is not a stuff, but is explained by the relations between experiences [James]
6710 You can only define a statement that something is 'true' by referring to its functional possibilities [James]
22305 If the hypothesis of God is widely successful, it is true [James]
18972 Ideas are true in so far as they co-ordinate our experiences [James]
18973 New opinions count as 'true' if they are assimilated to an individual's current beliefs [James]
18974 Truth is a species of good, being whatever proves itself good in the way of belief [James]
18971 Theories are practical tools for progress, not answers to enigmas [James]
18976 Private experience is the main evidence for God [James]
18975 We return to experience with concepts, where they show us differences [James]
18978 It is hard to grasp a cosmic mind which produces such a mixture of goods and evils [James]
18977 The wonderful design of a woodpecker looks diabolical to its victims [James]
18979 Things with parts always have some structure, so they always appear to be designed [James]
18980 If there is a 'greatest knower', it doesn't follow that they know absolutely everything [James]
18981 'Substance' is just a word for groupings and structures in experience [James]
18982 Pragmatism says all theories are instrumental - that is, mental modes of adaptation to reality [James]
18985 True thoughts are just valuable instruments of action [James]
18986 Truth is just a name for verification-processes [James]
18984 True ideas are those we can assimilate, validate, corroborate and verify (and false otherwise) [James]
18983 In many cases there is no obvious way in which ideas can agree with their object [James]
18987 A 'thing' is simply carved out of reality for human purposes [James]
18989 Pragmatism accepts any hypothesis which has useful consequences [James]
18990 Nirvana means safety from sense experience, and hindus and buddhists are just afraid of life [James]
18991 If the God hypothesis works well, then it is true [James]
22640 We find satisfaction in consistency of all of our beliefs, perceptions and mental connections [James]
22641 Realities just are, and beliefs are true of them [James]
22642 Man has an intense natural interest in the consistency of his own thinking [James]
22643 It seems that we feel rational when we detect no irrationality [James]
22645 Understanding by means of causes is useless if they are not reduced to a minimum number [James]
22644 Our greatest pleasure is the economy of reducing chaotic facts to one single fact [James]
22646 We have a passion for knowing the parts of something, rather than the whole [James]
22647 A complete system is just a classification of the whole world's ingredients [James]
22648 A single explanation must have a single point of view [James]
22649 Classification can only ever be for a particular purpose [James]
22650 How can the ground of rationality be itself rational? [James]
22651 Dogs' curiosity only concerns what will happen next [James]
22652 The mind has evolved entirely for practical interests, seen in our reflex actions [James]
22653 Early Christianity says God recognises the neglected weak and tender impulses [James]
22654 We can't know if the laws of nature are stable, but we must postulate it or assume it [James]
22656 Trying to assess probabilities by mere calculation is absurd and impossible [James]
22655 Scientific genius extracts more than other people from the same evidence [James]
22657 All good philosophers start from a dumb conviction about which truths can be revealed [James]
22658 Experimenters assume the theory is true, and stick to it as long as result don't disappoint [James]
22659 It is wisdom to believe what you desire, because belief is needed to achieve it [James]
22660 Evolution suggests prevailing or survival as a new criterion of right and wrong [James]
23981 Rage is inconceivable without bodily responses; so there are no disembodied emotions [James]
6570 Imagine millions made happy on condition that one person suffers endless lonely torture [James]