From: Valence (valence10@hotmail.com)
Date: Sun Jan 26 2003 - 03:11:13 GMT
Hey DMB,
> DMB says:
> The practical cash-value of a word? I don't really know what that means.
> Anybody care to explain that idea?
WILLIAM JAMES (from 'Pragmatism', 1907, chap.2)
The pragmatic method is primarily a method of settling metaphysical disputes
that otherwise might be interminable. Is the world one or many? - fated or
free? - material or spiritual? - here are notions either of which may or may
not hold good of the world; and disputes over such notions are unending.
The pragmatic method in such cases is to try to interpret each notion by
tracing its respective practical consequences. What difference would it
practically make to any one if this notion rather than that notion were
true? If no practical difference whatever can be traced, the
alternatives mean practically the same thing and all dispute is idle.
Whenever a dispute is serious, we ought to be able to show some practical
difference that must follow from one side or the other's being right.
RICK
I believe that when James speaks of the "cash-value" of a word, he is
referring to this "practical difference" that follows from holding a given
position. Of Pirsig, James would likely ask something like, "What is the
cash-value of the word 'Quality'?" or in other words "What do I gain from
believing in 'Quality'? If Pirsig couldn't point to some practical gains
that flow from a belief in 'Quality', James would probably lose interest.
rick
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