From a WSJ editorial (6/27/14) regarding SCOTUS ruling on recess appointments:

Quote:Deferring to this historical practice, Justice Breyer arrives at a pragmatic test: The President may fill vacancies when the Senate has not transacted business for 10 days or more, whether within or between Congress's two year-long formal sessions.

Pretty much fits my definition: work with what you got to get the best possible result.

(06-27-2014 07:41 AM)QuestionSocratic Wrote:  From a WSJ editorial (6/27/14) regarding SCOTUS ruling on recess appointments:

Quote:Deferring to this historical practice, Justice Breyer arrives at a pragmatic test: The President may fill vacancies when the Senate has not transacted business for 10 days or more, whether within or between Congress's two year-long formal sessions.

Pretty much fits my definition: work with what you got to get the best possible result.

William F. Buckley, Jr. (as conveyed in God and Man at Yale) would argue that the
Presidents attempt to make recess appointments, even though there was no recess is an act of pragmatics.

Obama was using a means to obtain what he viewed as a best result.

I see this recent court ruling as simple deontological ethics being applied.

American English often uses terms outside their proper context. That's because there are so many people in this nation without a good grounding in their own language. Most people in this nation have no concept of proper English, including many so-called journalists. And that goes double for journalists who work for a magazine created to study Wall Street, which has a language all its own.

(06-27-2014 08:55 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  American English often uses terms outside their proper context. That's because there are so many people in this nation without a good grounding in their own language. Most people in this nation have no concept of proper English, including many so-called journalists. And that goes double for journalists who work for a magazine created to study Wall Street, which has a language all its own.

Language is in constant evolution… which is the risk for an old goat like me that employs as my
standard lexicon the use of words and phases that no longer convey a distinct contemporary meaning.

(06-27-2014 09:30 AM)AngryAphid Wrote:  

(06-27-2014 08:55 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  American English often uses terms outside their proper context. That's because there are so many people in this nation without a good grounding in their own language. Most people in this nation have no concept of proper English, including many so-called journalists. And that goes double for journalists who work for a magazine created to study Wall Street, which has a language all its own.

Language is in constant evolution… which is the risk for an old goat like me that employs as my
standard lexicon the use of words and phases that no longer convey a distinct contemporary meaning.

Language has been swept up in the eternal tide of post modernism. Today the phrase "words have meanings" is no longer explicitly true, as words now mean whatever you want them to mean.

But I have faith in a world where a debate on the meaning of pragmatism can still occur. This is the true function of the academy. That is until someone decides that "pragmatic" is a code word for oppression of minorities.

IMO this debate over the meaning of Pragmatism is merely another sign that Americans don't know their own language, and that includes the majority of highly educated Americans. They pick a word that sounds good, and seems to fit the requirements, even though they have to twist the meaning to get it into the sentence. This makes them sound intelligent, without having any real intelligence behind it.

I'm sure we all know people like that. People who like to put on airs and impress people, even though there's nothing impressive about them. It's all about appearances.

(06-27-2014 10:49 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  IMO this debate over the meaning of Pragmatism is merely another sign that Americans don't know their own language, and that includes the majority of highly educated Americans. They pick a word that sounds good, and seems to fit the requirements, even though they have to twist the meaning to get it into the sentence. This makes them sound intelligent, without having any real intelligence behind it.

I'm sure we all know people like that. People who like to put on airs and impress people, even though there's nothing impressive about them. It's all about appearances.

As I already posted in this thread, the etymology of the word
pragmatic does, in no way discard the way I use the term.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the term is ambiguous like “Sanction” “Seed” or “Resign”
or my personal favorite “Fast”, but the way in which I use pragmatism is obviously in the minority.

(06-27-2014 10:49 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  IMO this debate over the meaning of Pragmatism is merely another sign that Americans don't know their own language, and that includes the majority of highly educated Americans. They pick a word that sounds good, and seems to fit the requirements, even though they have to twist the meaning to get it into the sentence. This makes them sound intelligent, without having any real intelligence behind it.

I'm sure we all know people like that. People who like to put on airs and impress people, even though there's nothing impressive about them. It's all about appearances.

Well I won't out on airs.

Go fvck yourself.

(06-27-2014 12:19 PM)QuestionSocratic Wrote:  

(06-27-2014 10:49 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  IMO this debate over the meaning of Pragmatism is merely another sign that Americans don't know their own language, and that includes the majority of highly educated Americans. They pick a word that sounds good, and seems to fit the requirements, even though they have to twist the meaning to get it into the sentence. This makes them sound intelligent, without having any real intelligence behind it.

I'm sure we all know people like that. People who like to put on airs and impress people, even though there's nothing impressive about them. It's all about appearances.

Well I won't out on airs.

Go fvck yourself.

Up your nose with a rubber hose.