Pragmatism vs Realism: What’s the Difference?
The difference at a glance
Pragmatism evaluates the truth of a belief by its practical, functional success. Realism is the tendency to accept situations as they are, rather than relying on wishful thinking.
Example sentences are illustrative learning examples, not verified quotations.
What does Pragmatism mean?
noun · /ˈpræɡ.mə.tɪ.z(ə)m/
A philosophical tradition holding that the meaning or truth of an idea is determined by its practical consequences — that what works is, in some meaningful sense, what is true.
Explore PragmatismPragmatism in a sentence
William James' pragmatism: the truth of an idea is in its cash value — what it pays in terms of experience.
Pragmatism is often misunderstood as pure opportunism. It is actually a theory of meaning: what has no practical consequence has no real meaning.
What does Realism mean?
noun · /ˈrɪəlɪzəm/
The doctrine that universals or abstract concepts have an objective or absolute existence; the theory that external reality exists independently of the observer; in art and literature, close observation and accurate representation of the actual, without idealization.
Explore RealismRealism in a sentence
Her political realism was not cynicism but clear-sightedness: she worked with what was actually available.
The Realist painters of the 19th century made the ordinary extraordinary by looking at it without embellishment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Pragmatism and Realism?
Pragmatism evaluates the truth of a belief by its practical, functional success. Realism is the tendency to accept situations as they are, rather than relying on wishful thinking.
What does Pragmatism mean?
A philosophical tradition holding that the meaning or truth of an idea is determined by its practical consequences — that what works is, in some meaningful sense, what is true.
What does Realism mean?
The doctrine that universals or abstract concepts have an objective or absolute existence; the theory that external reality exists independently of the observer; in art and literature, close observation and accurate representation of the actual, without idealization.