What is the Difference Between Pragmatic and Practical?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between pragmatic and practical lies in their usage and focus. Here are the key distinctions:
- Pragmatic:
- Mainly refers to a way of thinking.
- Deals with things sensibly and realistically, focusing on practical rather than theoretical considerations.
- Often used in the context of solving problems or making decisions based on real-world situations.
- In practice, being pragmatic refers to the actual execution of a plan, following through on actions.
- Practical:
- Can refer to actions, persons, concepts, or objects.
- Relates to what is real rather than to what is possible or imagined, and is likely to succeed.
- Concerned with the actual doing or use of something rather than with theory and ideas.
- Involves having a well-thought-out, strategic plan, and being ready to execute it.
While both terms have similar meanings, they are not always interchangeable. For example, "pragmatic" cannot be used to describe a joke, while "practical" can be used to describe a solution. In some instances, being pragmatic can be seen as a component of being practical, as a well-thought-out plan requires sensible and realistic thinking. However, it is not necessary for every practical action to be pragmatic.
Comparative Table: Pragmatic vs Practical
Here is a table comparing the differences between pragmatic and practical:
Feature | Pragmatic | Practical |
---|---|---|
Definition | Refers to a way of thinking, dealing with things sensibly and realistically, based on practical considerations. | Refers to an action, person, concept, or object, relating to what is real rather than possible or imagined, and likely to succeed. |
Usage | Mainly used to describe a way of thinking or approach to problem-solving. | Can be used to describe actions, objects, or concepts, and is more likely to be used in relation to real-world situations. |
Focus | Emphasizes realistic and sensible thinking, often focusing on what is achievable or sensible. | More concerned with actually doing something and being effective, often relating to real-world actions. |
Examples | "They solved the problem with pragmatic methods." | "She has practical experience in this field." |
While pragmatic and practical can be used interchangeably in some instances, they are not always synonyms. Pragmatic generally refers to a way of thinking or approaching problems, while practical refers to actions, objects, or concepts in the real world.
- Practicable vs Practical
- Pragmatic vs Visionary
- Pragmatism vs Idealism
- Semantics vs Pragmatics
- Pragmatism vs Progressivism
- Practise vs Practice
- Theory vs Practice
- Theory vs Principle
- Pessimist vs Realist
- Values vs Principles
- Positivism vs Logical Positivism
- Positivism vs Post-Positivism
- Linguistics vs Applied Linguistics
- Logic vs Reason
- Philosophy vs Psychology
- Philosophy vs Theory
- Kantianism vs Utilitarianism
- Philosophy vs Ideology
- Psychology vs Common Sense