Pragmatic theory of truth

[dms1972]

As regards how people think of truth, and determine what is true, this theory, the pragmatic theory says (briefly) something is true if it works for you. That is probably an oversimplification - but the theory links truth with utility. A belief is consider true if it is deemed useful. There is some variations amongst the main proponents (CP Peirce, William James, and John Dewey) on how the the theory is understood. How do we decide if something works. It seems to come down to what a person wants accomplished. If I want to cut a piece of paper, a pair of rubber scissors isn't going to work. I need a pair with metal blades that are not blunt. So deciding whether something works, requires knowing what is needing to be accomplished, or what goal is to be reached. But there is the problem how is that decided on the basis of the pragmatic theory. Does it just come down to each individual and what he / or she wants?

Say someone loans me a field and sets me a goal, they want fifty sacks of barley by the end of September. To reach that goal I have to find out what works bests (in fact I don't really need to work it out myself I could just read a book about farming), how close to plant things, how to assist them growing (ie how often to water), and know at what point to harvest them, how to harvest them etc.

So what I am getting how does one determine what works without some end being defined?

Am I thinking rightly about this?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I think the difference you're referring to is what is true in practical living, verses
spiritual truth.

The latter, comes from God as defined in the Ten Commandments.

Today, people want to create their own truth, but the problem is, truth
is truth, regardless of how a person defines it for themselves.

Many today want to be the creator of their own moral commandments rather
than follow the commandments God gave us. This has been the desire of men
since the great fall of Adam and Eve.

 

[frank sears]

Truth is simply reality; it has nothing at all to do with our personal desires. Go fishing and stop thinking so much he he.

 

[Neogaia777]

As regards how people think of truth, and determine what is true, this theory, the pragmatic theory says (briefly) something is true if it works for you. That is probably an oversimplification - but the theory links truth with utility. A belief is consider true if it is deemed useful. There is some variations amongst the main proponents (CP Peirce, William James, and John Dewey) on how the the theory is understood. How do we decide if something works. It seems to come down to what a person wants accomplished. If I want to cut a piece of paper, a pair of rubber scissors isn't going to work. I need a pair with metal blades that are not blunt. So deciding whether something works, requires knowing what is needing to be accomplished, or what goal is to be reached. But there is the problem how is that decided on the basis of the pragmatic theory. Does it just come down to each individual and what he / or she wants?

Say someone loans me a field and sets me a goal, they want fifty sacks of barley by the end of September. To reach that goal I have to find out what works bests (in fact I don't really need to work it out myself I could just read a book about farming), how close to plant things, how to assist them growing (ie how often to water), and know at what point to harvest them, how to harvest them etc.

So what I am getting how does one determine what works without some end being defined?

Am I thinking rightly about this?

In the case of God, it is in the end, and maybe even beyond it, that is trying to be defined here, etc...

And we consider the beginning along with it also, etc, with what capabilities God put within us, etc...

And the middle also, etc...

And how all of that comes to be defined in the end, knowing that God is that end, etc...

God Bless!

 

[disciple Clint]

As regards how people think of truth, and determine what is true, this theory, the pragmatic theory says (briefly) something is true if it works for you. That is probably an oversimplification - but the theory links truth with utility. A belief is consider true if it is deemed useful. There is some variations amongst the main proponents (CP Peirce, William James, and John Dewey) on how the the theory is understood. How do we decide if something works. It seems to come down to what a person wants accomplished. If I want to cut a piece of paper, a pair of rubber scissors isn't going to work. I need a pair with metal blades that are not blunt. So deciding whether something works, requires knowing what is needing to be accomplished, or what goal is to be reached. But there is the problem how is that decided on the basis of the pragmatic theory. Does it just come down to each individual and what he / or she wants?

Say someone loans me a field and sets me a goal, they want fifty sacks of barley by the end of September. To reach that goal I have to find out what works bests (in fact I don't really need to work it out myself I could just read a book about farming), how close to plant things, how to assist them growing (ie how often to water), and know at what point to harvest them, how to harvest them etc.

So what I am getting how does one determine what works without some end being defined?

Am I thinking rightly about this?

The Pragmatic Theory of Truth (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

 

[dms1972]

What i am trying to ascertain is whether its ok for a christian to think or define truth along pragmatic lines?

 

[stevevw]

As regards how people think of truth, and determine what is true, this theory, the pragmatic theory says (briefly) something is true if it works for you. That is probably an oversimplification - but the theory links truth with utility. A belief is consider true if it is deemed useful. There is some variations amongst the main proponents (CP Peirce, William James, and John Dewey) on how the the theory is understood. How do we decide if something works. It seems to come down to what a person wants accomplished. If I want to cut a piece of paper, a pair of rubber scissors isn't going to work. I need a pair with metal blades that are not blunt. So deciding whether something works, requires knowing what is needing to be accomplished, or what goal is to be reached. But there is the problem how is that decided on the basis of the pragmatic theory. Does it just come down to each individual and what he / or she wants?

Say someone loans me a field and sets me a goal, they want fifty sacks of barley by the end of September. To reach that goal I have to find out what works bests (in fact I don't really need to work it out myself I could just read a book about farming), how close to plant things, how to assist them growing (ie how often to water), and know at what point to harvest them, how to harvest them etc.

So what I am getting how does one determine what works without some end being defined?

Am I thinking rightly about this?

I think on the one hand there is the truth or perhaps facts about what is true practically or realistically set against a goal.

But then there are the ethical/moral truths. In your scenario these truths would be about how and why you should enter that situation with the land owner. We can get some clear measures on the practical truths/facts as you mentioned its a fact steel scissors work better than rubber ones.

But it gets a bit murky or its seems so for many when determining abstract truths like morals and values. But I think we can get at these harder to identify abstract truths.

I think when we are entering into any interaction with others we are continually taking in information but also and I think this is important intuiting about what is happening. I think this is all mashed together and we can get a pretty good sense of what seems the truth or what is right.

Of course people will disagree but I think this is often a misunderstanding or miscommunication. But nevertheless disagreement about what is truth can remain. But I think we all have this sense of what is true and right.

I think primarily its got to do with how we treat others. I think this is the truth Christ represents and speaks of. Like the Pharisees who claimed one truth Christ exposed their misrepresentation. I think we all know this truth even the Pharisees but some are blinded by self. Sometimes its obvious and sometimes it takes a bit of digging.

Its about what matters to us. I think every goal we set even for practical reasons is primarily about what matters to us. Why are we doing what we are doing and how that effects others in the greater scheme of things. And for this its the abstract truths that are most relevant and which supersede all.

 

[dms1972]

What I am getting at is this notion of "what works" and that that can only be determined in regard to a goal, or end.

Bertrand Russell I think was right in this regard:

"when we say that a belief is true, the thought we wish to convey is not the same thought as when we say that the belief furthers our purposes; thus 'true' does not mean 'furthering our purposes'"​

 

[disciple Clint]

What i am trying to ascertain is whether its ok for a christian to think or define truth along pragmatic lines?

Aquinas on Truth (Summa Theologiae Question 16)

 

[Neogaia777]

What I am getting at is this notion of "what works" and that that can only be determined in regard to a goal, or end.

Bertrand Russell I think was right in this regard:

"when we say that a belief is true, the thought we wish to convey is not the same thought as when we say that the belief furthers our purposes; thus 'true' does not mean 'furthering our purposes'"​

What other things does being true not mean, etc...?

Because you may want to create your philosophy around that maybe, etc...?

I also can't right now think of anything right now, that doesn't always ever have a goal or end always either, etc...?

But do we always have to know it always in order for us to pursue it, or know it is, etc, is probably the more important question so far here, etc...?

"Truth", etc...

God Bless!

 

[Neogaia777]

I've often wondered if the way we establish our truths, isn't, or hasn't been going on or happening like some sort of program of some sort from the very beginning sometime, etc...?

And still is up to now, etc...?

Or happens according to patterns of some sort...? Even the ones on how we come to define our reality, etc, and then after that becomes, or starts becoming after that, a part of our consciousness, etc... Anyway, even those, etc...

God Bless!