Pragmatism

[LukeS]

I have been accused of pragmatism because I choose to follow a faith, in part because of its benign effects in life.

I suppose the opposite would be scientific realism, limiting ones views to what can be proven about the 'real world', but not all philosophers are realists.

"Look at the power it gives us!" people often say about science. "Prayer doesn't work" etc.

What's the difference? IMO ultimately one can believe pretty much anything (there are billions of interpretations of being) and construct an argument for it, but as the common sense appeal goes, if you think you can fly you'll die sooner. Well, I flew but the universe moved up at the same time much faster - theres always an alternative.

So, if I last longer and live healthier with faith in God on side, why is that "pragmatism"?

 

[Stevicus]

I have been accused of pragmatism because I choose to follow a faith, in part because of its benign effects in life.

I suppose the opposite would be scientific realism, limiting ones views to what can be proven about the 'real world', but not all philosophers are realists.

"Look at the power it gives us!" people often say about science. "Prayer doesn't work" etc.

What's the difference? IMO ultimately one can believe pretty much anything (there are billions of interpretations of being) and construct an argument for it, but as the common sense appeal goes, if you think you can fly you'll die sooner. Well, I flew but the universe moved up at the same time much faster - theres always an alternative.

So, if I last longer and live healthier with faith in God on side, why is that "pragmatism"?

I'm not sure it would be pragmatism, although I would wonder who would actually "accuse" someone of pragmatism.

Go with whatever works. If having faith in God works for you and makes you happy, I can't see anything wrong with it, unless you try to impose that belief on others.

 

[viole]

I have been accused of pragmatism because I choose to follow a faith, in part because of its benign effects in life.

I suppose the opposite would be scientific realism, limiting ones views to what can be proven about the 'real world', but not all philosophers are realists.

"Look at the power it gives us!" people often say about science. "Prayer doesn't work" etc.

What's the difference? IMO ultimately one can believe pretty much anything (there are billions of interpretations of being) and construct an argument for it, but as the common sense appeal goes, if you think you can fly you'll die sooner. Well, I flew but the universe moved up at the same time much faster - theres always an alternative.

So, if I last longer and live healthier with faith in God on side, why is that "pragmatism"?

I never heard that pragmatism is a bad thing, in general. Maybe you are more like an utilitarian, and I expect that most critiques come from the theists community.

However, I wonder how you manage that. If you do, good for you. But I would not be able to do that. There would always be a gizmo in my head that tells me that I believe that, just because it is helpful. I would have "self defeating" warning lamps flashing all over.

Ciao

- viole

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Sounds more like the Wiccan Rede then philosophical pragmatism. "If it does no harm, do as you will." Nothing wrong with that, by definition. But my problem with the quandary of 'if faith works for me, where's the harm' is when it doesn't consider other negative consequence of the practice. E.g. traditionalistic viewpoints that often go hand in hand with ancient practices. Homophobia, misogyny, holding back science due to fear of change and ritual practice like faith based medicine which can certainly be harmful. Those things aren't implicit in having a faith in gods, but they are common bedfellows.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

"Look at the power it gives us!" people often say about science. "Prayer doesn't work" etc. What's the difference?

You're actually communicating now using science. People are reading your words in any number of locations on the globe and able to respond to you.

When you pray, you are presuming on faith that one entity is hearing you, and you aren't expecting to get a verbal response.

That's the difference, and the power of science (and technology) to which you were referring.

So, if I last longer and live healthier with faith in God on side, why is that "pragmatism"?

Pragmatism is adopting what works because it works. If you think that your god belief benefits you, and that is your principal reason for holding it, you are taking a pragmatic approach.

It's a sound position.

The argument for evolutionary theory over creationism can be stated pragmatically. One is useful and the other not. We don't need any other evidence than that to justify adopting one idea over the other.

We don't need to look at a single fossil or read a single science paper or text to take the position that there is no reason to throw out an idea like evolutionary theory that unifies mountains of observations about the tree of life, offers an explanatory mechanism, makes predictions that are falsifiable but never falsified, and has application to technology that has improved the human condition for an idea and replace it with an idea like creationism that, like astrology, does none of that and cannot be used for anything except making a living.

.

 

[Nakosis]

So, if I last longer and live healthier with faith in God on side, why is that "pragmatism"?

Belief affect choices. As long as the choices are successful it doesn't mater the actual truth of the belief.

That's my understanding of pragmatism. I'm fine with folks dealing with life in whatever manner works for them.

Personally however, I want to know how things work and be able to validate my knowledge of how they work.

I don't know this is going to make my life any better. It's just the way I do things.

 

[LukeS]

Thanks for all, on the "accusation" theme, I think pragmatism can be characterised as: if believing 'the moon is made from cheese' makes you happy, then it is made of cheese.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

I think pragmatism can be characterised as: if believing 'the moon is made from cheese' makes you happy, then it is made of cheese.

One definition of pragmatism is, "an approach that assesses the truth of meaning of theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application."

By that reckoning, I'd rephrase your comment to,

If believing that the moon is made of green cheese is a useful belief for you, then go ahead and believe it​

I say useful because something may make you happy but be causing you problems elsewhere. Religious faith might be making you happy, but damaging you with ideas that are counterproductive. In that case, the belief is not working for you.

And of course, pragmatism doesn't say that a belief is true because it works. It says that if a belief works for you, one can treat it as correct without worrying about whether it is or not.