(September 8, 2014 at 10:47 am)Alex K Wrote:(September 8, 2014 at 9:54 am)Pickup_shonuff Wrote: Have you ever read up on Pragmatism, rob? They, especially the pluralists (I specifically have in mind the American philosopher/psychologist William James), have an interesting take on the value of truth and logic (being dye-in-the-wool verificationists, my understanding is that they believe any statement with meaningful content that is both satisfactory to the individual and makes a practical difference qualifies as "true.")
What does it mean to make a practical difference ifimayask?
If I may quote from James:
"...if you follow the pragmatic method, you cannot look on any such word as closing your quest. You must bring out of each word its practical cash-value, set it at work within the stream of your experience. It appears less as a solution, then, than as a program for more work, and more particularly as an indication of the ways in which existing realities may be changed. Theories thus become instruments, not answers to enigmas, in which we can rest... The attitude of looking away from first things, principles, 'categories,' supposed necessities; and of looking towards last things, fruits, consequences, facts... Any idea upon which we can ride, so to speak; any idea that will carry us prosperously from any one part of our experience to any other part, linking things satisfactorily, working securely, simplifying, saving labor; is true for just so much, true in so far forth, true instrumentally." (italics in original)
Hope that clarifies some...off to work now!
He who loves God cannot endeavour that God should love him in return - Baruch Spinoza
