A philosophical approach that judges the validity of ideas, arguments, and beliefs primarily by their practical consequences and usefulness in navigating the world, rather than by their abstract, formal logical purity or their correspondence to an absolute "truth." If a belief leads to successful prediction, effective action, or psychological well-being, it holds pragmatic value, even if it contains logical imperfections or is unprovable in a closed system.
Example: Believing in free will, despite philosophical debates about determinism, is Logical Pragmatism. The belief has immense practical consequences—it underpins our systems of law, morality, and personal motivation. Even if it's logically fuzzy, it's useful and thus, for a pragmatist, holds a form of validity that a perfectly logical but paralyzing belief in absolute determinism does not.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 3, 2026
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