What are the flaws in Pragmatism?

Answer 1

Kind of immoral.

Answer 2

It is immoral. It's easy, it sounds nice, but it is immoral.

Pragmatist ethics is broadly humanist because it sees no ultimate test of morality beyond what matters for us as humans. Good values are those for which we have good reasons, viz. When push comes to shove this boils down to "Ignore what is right and wrong, if you can come up with a fancy sounding argument to justify it to yourslef it is ok." It is moral relativism and short-sighted practicalism dressed up in fancy words.

For example, a Pragmatist does not believe in an absolute wrong... it all comes down to "what is practical", or "what gets the greatest good for the greatest number". Someone who believed in absolute wrong or right would do very impractical things to avoid doing the wrong thing... they would make great sacrifices to avoid doing the wrong thing. These people are called heros, they not called pragmatists.

For example, if the Nazis take over your country then colaboration with them would be the pragmatic thing to do... even if it means turning in your Jewish neighbors. Turning in your neighbors and helping the Nazis may be rough on your Neighbors, BUT it will make life a lot easier for everyone else in the village... and making life easier for everyone else in the village is a good thing...

Hiding your neighbors from the Nazis mean you are putting your life, and the lives of your family at risk... and for no real gain. Hiding your neighbors would be the moral thing to do, it would be the heroic thing to do, it would the right thing to do, it would be the difficult thing to do... but it would not be the pragmatic thing to do.

Similarly if you help the resistance fighters attack the Nazis you would be putting the lives of the entire village at risk. (The Germans often shot everyone in a whole town in revenge for a partisan attack.) Helping the resistance fight the Nazis would not be the Pragmatic thing to do.

Pragmatisim is about taking the simplest soulution to get the greatest good for the greatest number. A Pragmatist could argue that slavery in the United States was justified, because it produced wealth, it made economic sense, and it made the majority of the people (the Whites) pretty happy. It created the "Greatest Good for the Greatest Number." It made the Majority really happy. Kind of stank if you were part of the MINORITY though.

The pragmatic idea of "the greatest good for the greatest number" is great if you are in the majority... but it can be really rough if you are in the minority.

Not exactly moral, huh?

Answer 3

What is pragmatism is the question you must aswer before all

Is it a real philosophical school ?

Then try to ask yourself what pragmatism is - something like
" consider that daily experience gives answers out of any reference to theory "-mmmmmm

What is theory ? Theory is a condensed knowedge acquired through methodical, reflexion, research etc -

Let's consider a country-man - he has to spray insecticides on his fields - and refuses any information - rejects any possibility of following the instructions for rules - has never been to agriculture schools -

The insecticide is complex and has been conceived by chemists ? Concerning that problem I would say that the attitude of the countryman is stupid, dangerous etc -

Theory is everywhere because we are surrounded by highly complex technologies in all fields and pragmatism is of no use being considered this reality

I would say that there is no good praxis against bad theory, but certainly and more than ever good theories, and bad praxis - supposed of course that experimentations before has been sufficiently completed

Answer 4

I am for sure a Pragmatist. My philosophy is "If it ain't broke don't fix it". I drive the shrinks crazy. To me it does not matter if the glass is half full or half empty. What matters is how well you use that which is given you to use.

The down side of being a Pragmatist is that you can't stand change. You tend to be behind the rest of the world. Pragmatists definitely are not risk takers therefore they seem to never do anything great although they rarely ever fail in life either.

Pragmatists go along to get along and that can be tiring after awhile. They (we) seem to be content with life which is a good thing really. Pragmatists are also realist therefore they frustrate the dreamers of the world.

Answer 5

We are emotional beings as well as logical ones. Not everything that matters can be measured and so pragmatists tend to overlook the things that can't be quantified or measured.

What is the price of love or the real value of a wild animal? Where does beauty and serenity factor into economics? Fresh air and clean water are routinely left out of economic calculations to the detriment of mankind and the planet as a whole.

Answer 6

It denys the role of rationality, replacing it with expediency, and when it is wrong says, "Oh, well, I tried."