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instrumentalism

 - 2 dictionary results

in⋅stru⋅men⋅tal⋅ism

[in-struh-men-tl-iz-uhm]
–noun Philosophy.
the variety of pragmatism developed by John Dewey, maintaining that the truth of an idea is determined by its success in the active solution of a problem and that the value of ideas is determined by their function in human experience.

Origin:
1905–10; instrumental + -ism
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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in·stru·men·tal·ism   (ĭn'strə-měn'tl-ĭz'əm)   
n.  A pragmatic theory that ideas are instruments that function as guides of action, their validity being determined by the success of the action.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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