On philosophical pragmatism...

Some thoughts on philosophical pragmatism from one of Bertrand Russell's "Sceptical Essays":

"Although pragmatism may not contain ultimate philosophical truth, it has certain important merits. First, it realises that the truth that we can attain is merely human truth, fallible and changeable like everything human. What lies outside the cycle of human occurrences is not truth, but fact (of certain kinds).

Truth is a property of beliefs, and beliefs are psychical events. Moreover their relation to facts does not have the schematic simplicity which logic assumes; to have pointed this out is a second merit in pragmatism.

Beliefs are vague and complex, pointing not to one precise fact, but to several vague regions of fact. Beliefs, therefore, unlike the schematic propositions of logic, are not sharply opposed as true or false, but are a blur of truth and falsehood; they are of varying shades of grey, never white or black.

People who speak with reverence of the 'Truth' would do better to speak about Fact, and to realise that the reverend qualities to which they pay homage are not to be found in human beliefs. There are practical as well as theoretical advantages in this, since people persecute each other because they believe the know the 'Truth'. Speaking psycho-analytically, it may be laid down that any 'great ideal' which people mention with awe is really an excuse for inflicting pain on their enemies. Good wine needs no bush, and good morals need no bated breath."

The sinister side to this philosophy is the idea that "Truth ... is what pays in the way of beliefs. Now a belief may be made to pay through the operation the criminal law. In the seventeenth century, Catholicism paid in Catholic countries and Protestantism in Protestant countries. Energetic people can manufacture 'truth' by getting hold of Government and persecuting opinions other than their own."

Russell goes on to critique what he believes are the the exaggerations latent in this view. Let me know if you'd like me to post more on the topic. Otherwise, the book is called "Sceptical Essays" and it is Routeledge Classic.