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Utilitarianism vs Pragmatism - What's the difference?

utilitarianism | pragmatism |

In philosophy terms the difference between utilitarianism and pragmatism

is that utilitarianism is the theory that action should be directed toward achieving the "greatest happiness for the greatest number of people"; hedonistic universalism while pragmatism is 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.

utilitarianism

Noun

(en noun)
  • (philosophy) A system of ethics based on the premise that something's value may be measured by its usefulness.
  • (philosophy) the theory that action should be directed toward achieving the "greatest happiness for the greatest number of people"; hedonistic universalism.
  • Coordinate terms

    * deontology

    pragmatism

    Noun

  • 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:
  • 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 .

    Antonyms

    * idealism * contemplation