Pragmatism vs. Realism

Pragmatismnoun

The pursuit of practicality over aesthetic qualities; a concentration on facts rather than emotions or ideals.

Pragmatismnoun

(philosophy) The idea that beliefs are identified with the actions of a believer, and the truth of beliefs with success of those actions in securing a believer's goals; the doctrine that ideas must be looked at in terms of their practical effects and consequences.

Pragmatismnoun

The quality or state of being pragmatic; in literature, the pragmatic, or philosophical, method.

Pragmatismnoun

(philosophy) the doctrine that practical consequences are the criteria of knowledge and meaning and value

Pragmatismnoun

the attribute of accepting the facts of life and favoring practicality and literal truth

Pragmatismnoun

a pragmatic attitude or policy

Pragmatism

Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition that considers words and thought as tools and instruments for prediction, problem solving, and action, and rejects the idea that the function of thought is to describe, represent, or mirror reality. Pragmatists contend that most philosophical topics—such as the nature of knowledge, language, concepts, meaning, belief, and science—are all best viewed in terms of their practical uses and successes.

Realismnoun

A concern for fact or reality and rejection of the impractical and visionary.

Realismnoun

(sciences) The viewpoint that an external reality exists independent of observation.

Realismnoun

(philosophy) A doctrine that universals are real—they exist and are distinct from the particulars that instantiate them.

Realismnoun

As opposed to nominalism, the doctrine that genera and species are real things or entities, existing independently of our conceptions. According to realism the Universal exists ante rem (Plato), or in re (Aristotle).

Realismnoun

Fidelity to nature or to real life; representation without idealization, and making no appeal to the imagination; adherence to the actual fact.

Realismnoun

the attribute of accepting the facts of life and favoring practicality and literal truth

Realismnoun

(philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that physical object continue to exist when not perceived

Realismnoun

the state of being actual or real;

Realismnoun

an artistic movement in 19th century France; artists and writers strove for detailed realistic and factual description

Realismnoun

(philosophy) the philosophical doctrine that abstract concepts exist independent of their names