Pragmatic vs. Utilitarian

Pragmaticadjective

Practical, concerned with making decisions and actions that are useful in practice, not just theory.

‘The sturdy furniture in the student lounge was pragmatic, but unattractive.’;

Utilitarianadjective

of or relating to utility

Pragmaticadjective

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

Utilitarianadjective

(ethics) pertaining to utilitarianism

Pragmaticadjective

Of or pertaining to business or to affairs; of the nature of business; practical; material; businesslike in habit or manner.

‘The next day . . . I began to be very pragmatical.’; ‘We can not always be contemplative, diligent, or pragmatical, abroad; but have need of some delightful intermissions.’; ‘Low, pragmatical, earthly views of the gospel.’;

Utilitarianadjective

practical and functional, present for use, not just for show.

Pragmaticadjective

Busy; specifically, busy in an objectionable way; officious; fussy and positive; meddlesome.

‘The fellow grew so pragmatical that he took upon him the government of my whole family.’;

Utilitariannoun

Someone who practices or advocates utilitarianism.

Pragmaticadjective

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

Utilitarianadjective

Of or pertaining to utility; consisting in utility; iming at utility as distinguished from beauty, ornament, etc.; sometimes, reproachfully, evincing, or characterized by, a regard for utility of a lower kind, or marked by a sordid spirit; as, utilitarian narrowness; a utilitarian indifference to art.

Pragmaticnoun

One skilled in affairs.

‘My attorney and solicitor too; a fine pragmatic.’;

Utilitarianadjective

Of or pertaining to utilitarianism; supporting utilitarianism; as, the utilitarian view of morality; the Utilitarian Society.

Pragmaticnoun

A solemn public ordinance or decree.

‘A royal pragmatic was accordingly passed.’;

Utilitariannoun

One who holds the doctrine of utilitarianism.

‘The utilitarians are for merging all the particular virtues into one, and would substitute in their place the greatest usefulness, as the alone principle to which every question respecting the morality of actions should be referred.’; ‘But what is a utilitarian? Simply one who prefers the useful to the useless; and who does not?’;

Pragmaticadjective

concerned with practical matters;

‘a matter-of-fact (or pragmatic) approach to the problem’; ‘a matter-of-fact account of the trip’;

Utilitariannoun

someone who believes that the value of a thing depends on its utility

Pragmaticadjective

of or concerning the theory of pragmatism

Utilitarianadjective

having a useful function;

‘utilitarian steel tables’;

Pragmaticadjective

guided by practical experience and observation rather than theory;

‘a hardheaded appraisal of our position’; ‘a hard-nosed labor leader’; ‘completely practical in his approach to business’; ‘not ideology but pragmatic politics’;

Utilitarianadjective

having utility often to the exclusion of values;

‘plain utilitarian kitchenware’;