A Question To All Europeans and Canadians...
 

I was just wondering if Americans were the only Philosophically Pragmatic people in this world like my old U.S. History Professor explained. Now that I can reach out globally, I want to know.

Here's the question:
You just bought a brand new bicycle and brought it home from the shop un-assembled. You break out the peices and tools and start to put it together. You get the bicycle complete but there are a couple of loose pieces left over. The bicycle looks to be operational and in good working order but there are pieces left over.

Do you:
A) Rip the bicycle apart and rebuild it to see where the left over parts went.
B) Say screw it, if the bike works then the peices are useless anyway.

Does the end really justify the means?

A.... the parts came with it for a reason.

I would say B....but would convince myself they just put in "extra pieces" for repairs later on heh

Bingo.

I tend to make serious effort to do something right the first time. If I actually thought I had missed a step or two I would certainly consider disassembling everything and doing it again though.

May as well do something right, or not do it at all.

I'd look at the instructions a few time and try to remember, inspect the bike a bit and then figure it out.

Of course, my other answer to this question might go something like this:

The answer is C.

C) I would take the unassembled bike over to the bike shop I deal with, and would pay their expert to put it together. I'm a webmaster, not a bike mechanic.

If it all looked fine and I can't see anything missed in the guide, than I am choose B!

could be yes could be no. for me it would depend on what the pieces looked like, if they looked like they were a functional part of the bike or something superficial - if i decided that the parts didn't look important i'd forget about em.

Since when are Americans pragmatic?

Go find a 12 year old kid to look it over.

:)

A) Rip the bicycle apart and rebuild it to see where the left over parts went.

Pragmatism is the ONLY Philosophy Americans have ever developed!!! It's rooted in America and Americans ARE pragmatic. Historically, Europreans and Canadians aren't hence my question.

Did you actually look the word up before replying? :eek7

We Americans are productively pragmatic...
Sounds like you want to put us into a scheme of Machiavellian pragmatism,
which is the basis for ALL political systems...Not just american.

Not Machiavellian at all, more of a "The end justifies the means" philosophy. *A way of approaching situations or solving problems that emphasizes practical applications and consequences.

you want a definition.....

Relating to or being the study of cause and effect in historical or political events with emphasis on the practical lessons to be learned from them.



the most pragmatic thing that the USA ever did was call themselves pragmatic




Philosophical; dealing with causes, reasons, and effects, rather than with details and circumstances; -- said of literature.


can you not say that communism is pragmatic? it deals with causes reasons and effects... people are poor and struggling...so lets take all the money and spread it over every person ....reason is to make them unpoor....effect is it works....



to consider pragmatism the only reasonable philosphy loses the entire heart and soul of mankind. From a country so patriotic it is hard to imagine them saying they are pragmatic.



self centered maybe.....

I think "The end justifies the means" is the basis of a Machiavellian philosophy.

Practical pragmatism is just a sensible, logical approach to problem solving.

Although the two aren't mutually exclusive, MOST americans would not agree that "The end justifies the means".

Political leadership not withstanding...

Political leaders must, by necessity, view people as assets.
Assets to be used, exploited, manipulated, and expended.
The end must justify the means for any political system to be successful.

B

unless it was missing a wheel or something

Just like ALL American's are fat?

Fallacy of composition

Ohhhh also.... go see the movie HERO. A classic... so many layers... try and figure out the meaning...

Americans are no more pragmatic than any other nationality.

agreed:)

Pay a mexican to build it for me

Lemme just say this post has too many big words!!!!

agreed:)

My answer is that I'd be too lazy to build it in the first place and would either buy a bike that is pre-assembled or I would get someone else to do it :thumbsup

Schemantics shmantics...it's an American Philosophy. I apologize if I "included" all the Americans that don't feel they should included in this group (it's not a bad thing, trust me. It helped us win WWII). All in all, our [American] attitudes are pretty much pragmatic. :2 cents:

Charles S. Peirce and William James (Americans) developed the Philosophy therefore it is American.

Now answer the damn question! I'm pleased that this thread actually made it this far, I figured most adult webmasters were techno-geeks and had no concept of philosophy. :Graucho :thumbsup

C) I wouldn't buy a bike in peices ... why would I do that ?

And there aiin't no lazy americans that will buy it either ... so the compagny selling thoses bikes would run out of business


you should have taken IKEA as an example

dictionary.com :P

Take this opportunity to learn what they mean

The name 'pragmatism' and some body of scholarly work may have originated in the US, but practical thought itself was hardly invented there. Cavemen 10,000 years ago discovered to 'use what works' because if they didn't do exactly that, they'd likely end up dead.

Developing a formalized way of say "do what works and don't fix what ain't broke" doesn't give you 'ownership' of that philosophy. At best it gives words to concepts everyone already held as a jumble of memes, at worst its a form of self-congratulatory mental masturbation.

The rise of pragmatism had primarily resulted due to the influence of scientific methods and realists looking to define their reality by directly observable phenomena. This was opposed to reaching into the back of their skulls for some metaphysical mumbojumbo the idealists were spewing, or calling down god for an ecclesiastical answer to the basic questions, like "what is truth"? One of James' main influences was Charles Darwin, for example.

I would say that if there is credit to be given, it was in starting to hammer the nails into the coffins of those who'd rather dream about reality than live in it. The world was primed for rational thought, the pragmatic 'movement' (if you will) provided a handy form for it to manifest itself... pragmatism became a popular philosophy because it "just worked". Which is rather apropos when you think about it.

... and I'd say "B". Not because I studied philosophy or feel beholden to tweed-wearing, beret doffing academics, but because I've always depended on my own abilities to do what's needed to be done regardless of the situation.

Id say...

a)

I suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder. Seeing the extra pieces would piss me off.

But im Canadian... what do i know

With your reasoning, if an American had developed communism, then communism would also be American.

A because I don't want my bike to break if I go downhill with it or

C go too the bikeshop and let them do it for me. Why would someone buy a bike that they had to put together themselfs? That works for Ikea furnuture but not for bikes, doing that wrong can kill you...lol

A

A indeed, i am past the age of "yeah what the hell lets break some bones" :)

I submit that because Americans think that this is a philosophical question.....

...... explains a great deal about them.

:1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

B..if it works who cares..prob some extra safety screws for the headlight :Graucho :Graucho

:Graucho