Concept
2 readings
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Pragmatic maxim
Concept · 2 readings
The pragmatic maxim clarifies a concept through its conceivable practical consequences. It asks what a difference would make, not whether a belief is pleasant to hold.
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Guided course · Module 11 · Lesson 61
What difference would an idea make in practice?
Peirce and James tie meaning and truth to practical consequences. How can consequences clarify a claim without making comfort the test of truth?
Guided course · Module 11 · Lesson 68
Who makes the categories by which we live?
Foucault describes productive power, which shapes categories and knowledge; Derrida brings a different question about meaning. What do an institution’s assessments reveal, and what do they help to create?