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 Reference
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?