What is instrumentalism in philosophy?

Answer

Instrumentalism is the philosophical assertion that the significance of beliefs lies in their utility— their function as tools— rather than in the actual existence of the belief’s subject. According to this concept, the primary value of any action or viewpoint is its practical consequences, rather than any transcendent or universal ideal.

Various versions of instrumentalism suggest that the concept of “truth” is only minimally relevant, if at all, to beliefs. Instrumentalism typically places beliefs in the same category as abstractions like “the number nineteen” or “a typical apple,” which allude to some form of reality, even if they lack a concrete material presence. Some “hard” instrumentalists propose that beliefs are entirely fictional. According to instrumentalism, anything not directly observable is considered questionably real.

Philosophical instrumentalism, to some extent, proposes that “the ends justify the means,” not in a moral or ethical context, but in a pragmatic sense. This implies that the primary value of any belief is the actions it motivates. In this context, the “truth” of a belief is inconsequential, and what matters on a small scale is that belief “A” leads to outcome or action “B.”

Another aspect of instrumentalism suggests that scientific theories or theoretical models are valuable to the extent that they produce accurate predictions or consistently elucidate observations. According to this perspective, the literal truth of a theory such as evolution by natural selection is irrelevant to its utility as a dependable model for scientific inquiry.

Scripture does not explicitly address instrumentalism. However, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for adhering to traditional rituals for the sake of tradition itself « For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. », (Mark 7:8). The Book of Hebrews highlights that some Mosaic laws were intended to symbolize a deeper meaning «who serve as an example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was instructed by God when he was preparing the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain.’ », (Hebrews 8:5). Moreover, the Bible unequivocally rejects the notion that the ends justify the means. Conversely, Jesus often emphasized that God’s laws should not be followed in a blindly literal manner (Matthew 12:1-8), aligning with the instrumentalist perspective that practical results are integral to evaluating behaviors. In essence, Scripture challenges the more extreme forms of instrumentalism.