Pragmatism’s danger is revealed in Chesterton’s Fence, paraphrased as the wisdom of examining what something is designed to prevent before dumping it. Cutting to the chase may release the hounds of hell. On the other hand, if we try to prevent everything that’s preventable we end up with things like the Federal Register, the annual growth of which is measured in pounds, not pages.
Put me down as a pragmatist who believes in sun-setting laws to reduce the proliferation of barnacles that reduce the potential of the economy from a speed boat to a barge.
My thing is people use pragmatism as an excuse to push their personal ‘thing’. Not as a method to achieve an acceptable outcome.
IE: “I voted for a guy that BBQs dead, shredded babies his own laws created. For profit. No matter what”.
Thats not pragmatic. Thats evil.