Practical vs Pragmatism - What's the difference?
practical | pragmatism |
(British) A part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability
Based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis
Being likely to be effective and applicable to a real situation; able to be put to use
Of a person, having skills or knowledge that are practical
The pursuit of practicality over aesthetic qualities; a concentration on facts rather than emotions or ideals.
(politics) The theory that political problems should be met with practical solutions rather than ideological ones.
(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.
* 1902 , William James, The Varieties of Religious Experience , Folio Society 2008, p. 378:
As nouns the difference between practical and pragmatism
is that practical is (british) a part of an exam or series of exams in which the candidate has to demonstrate their practical ability while pragmatism is the pursuit of practicality over aesthetic qualities; a concentration on facts rather than emotions or ideals.As an adjective practical
is based on practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis.practical
English
Noun
(en noun)Adjective
(en adjective)- Jack didn't get an engineering degree, but has practical knowledge of metalworking.
- Jack's knowledge has the practical benefit of giving us useful prototype parts.
- All in all, Jack's a very practical chap
Antonyms
* (based on practice or action) theoretical * (being likely to effective and applicable to a real situation) impractical * (of a person) impracticalDerived terms
* practicality * practicallyExternal links
* *pragmatism
English
(wikipedia pragmatism)Noun
- Our conception of these practical consequences is for us the whole of our conception of the object [...] This is the principle of Peirce, the principle of pragmatism .