Quote:
Quote by: Milton Bradley  There is no room for pragmatism in the pursuit of liberty, or truth. |
This attitude would be a symptom of those destructive philosophies (cough, ideologies) you were talking about. I wonder how long you even studied the philosophy before making such a judgment.
Quote:
|
The only problem I have with pragmatism is that it is so often synonymous with compromise, and some things ought not be compromised. Taking a practical approach to things is generally a good idea, but, in some cases, morality demands that we attempt the impractical. If pragmatism allows a person to balk when the going gets tough, then it's really just a handy excuse to refrain from straining oneself.
|
Not about 'compromise' so much as dissolving imaginary fictions to resolve conflicts. Like other humans, pragmatists only compromise when we feel we have to, and while that might be more frequent on the whole than other people, I would contend it is only because we are quicker to realize when fighting has become unproductive and can only produce harm for all parties involved if it continues. I will say this for myself: I never compromise on a point I feel should be painfully obvious.
Moreover, although I don't speak for all pragmatists, my interpretation is that the philosophy does not discourage revolutionary thought or action per se but rather encourages people to work with what materials are available.
Revolutions (synonymous with the tough goings and impracticalities you are talking about) are fine as long as there is a sizeable chance they are going to work and accomplish something worthwhile (healthiness, joyfulness, loveliness, affection, creativity, intelligence, excellence in general, etc) -- the 'sizeable chance' (potentiality) counts as 'available material'.
I would also argue it is best positioned to evaluate (and possibly show respect) to other ways of thinking, as it recognizes the worth of ideas on basis of what they contribute to enhancing the human condition (which arguably is all that really matters when you back to the original point of any way of thinking).