What is Practical: Definition and 323 Discussions

Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition that considers words and thought as tools and instruments for prediction, problem solving, and action, and rejects the idea that the function of thought is to describe, represent, or mirror reality. Pragmatists contend that most philosophical topics—such as the nature of knowledge, language, concepts, meaning, belief, and science—are all best viewed in terms of their practical uses and successes.
Pragmatism began in the United States in the 1870s. Its origins are often attributed to the philosophers Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, and John Dewey. In 1878, Peirce described it in his pragmatic maxim: "Consider the practical effects of the objects of your conception. Then, your conception of those effects is the whole of your conception of the object."

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  1. Sanzmatic

    Misc. What kind of projects can I do at home?

    Hello, i am a high school student who is interested in physics. Me and my friends want to build something cool. Can be anything related to science. Nothing too complicated but nothing too easy. Something interesting and safe. No dangerous suggestions please. I do not have any qualifications as i...
  2. A

    I Huygen's principle in practical sense

    Hello everyone, I have two little clarifications to make about Huygen's principle: - Why doesn't the wave go backward? I mean, if every point on the plane acts as the source of a secondary wavelet, then, along with the envelop which makes the wave travel apparently forward, another should...
  3. S

    Theoretical and practical force to cut metal

    How much force is needed to cut in half a tough tool steel beam 5 cm wide and 1 cm thick? Theoretically, the cohesion is low. For example, the surface tension of water is 71 mN/m. Some materials are more cohesive. Quicksilver has surface tension of 450 mN/m. Molten gold and copper have over 1...
  4. M

    Practical scenario: NIR laser, black light marker and lamp.

    ...and my high-school buddies said you'll never use this stuff in real life. Hello, my name is Matt and once in a while I deal with the practical application of Physics in a wide range of real-life settings. Most of the time I'm capable of researching the given topic myself. This time, I need...
  5. spikey1973

    I Understanding a practical cooling situation

    hey guys and gall's i'm builing an amplifier for audio, basically a 6 channel amplifier, each amplifier is a pcb which is mounted on a solid aluminium base and will need to dissipate about 30W. I will mount these upside down under a circular sheat of metal in a " circular" 6-way pattern...
  6. C

    Quantitative Analysis Lab Grading: How Strict Is It?

    ANYONE?? In practical AS chem exam if our titration reading doesnot match the examiner how many maximum marks can be cut? If all our calculations and everything is correct using the volume we found how many marks will cut if our titration volume doesn't match the examiners??
  7. A

    Practical knowledges in engineering

    1)Are they necessary? 2)Can you live without them and get hired for theoretical knowledges only?For example i had a cousin who graduated something that has to do with mines and he learned a discipline called hidraulics.I have his book.He knew practical knowledges and theoretical and was a...
  8. jim hardy

    Is it practical to generate all US power by solar PV?

    In another PF thread it was proposed to build a centralized PV farm of 1000 gigawatts , which is the order of magnitude of US installed generating capacity. It'd cover 1/10 the area of New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada. √ (10%of 896815 km^2) = 299.5 km per side, 186 miles per side, not...
  9. T

    Graphene: Questions from a Non-Chemist

    Hi, I haven't had any chemistry exposure for over a decade, (I have some semi-conductor and quantum mechanics experience though) I was wondering: (to my vague 'knowledge') If graphite is just made of many overlapped graphene sheets, then why isn't graphite conductive? Also, if graphene is a "2D...
  10. kolleamm

    Electromagnetic muscles? Practical?

    Here's my idea for a robotics actuator resembling a muscle. Lots of tiny electromagnets closely packed attracting each other to flex an artificial muscle. It seems like such an obvious idea, why isn't anyone using it?
  11. gjonesy

    Is fusion Practical? And is it safe?

    I just read an interesting article on a fusion reactor that was fired up and actually produced hydrogen plasma just like in our own sun. How practical is this technology? And is it safer than fission reactors? What's the waste products if any this will produce? I know its very early faze, but it...
  12. T

    Are Hovercrafts Practical? An Exploration

    What do you guys think of this in general? Personally, it seems like there's very little to no practicality for such an interesting mode of transportation, even for people that can do/afford a trip on that. Pretty cool though, even though I also think there would be many problems to deal with in...
  13. Titan97

    Chemistry Books on practical organic chemistry

    Is there a good book that contains various methods for qualitative analysis of organic compounds? (Like Tollens test for aldehydes).
  14. Y

    Calculating Thevenin Equivalent Doesn't Seem Practical

    Ok, so I know the point of the Thevenin is to make a simpler circuit so that that it results in the same current being sent to the other connected circuit. But why do we go through all the hassle of computing the Thevenin Voltage when we could choose any arbitary Voltage and a Resistor that...
  15. M

    Chance of building practical quantum computers

    Wiki on quantum tomography says: "The number of experimental configurations (state preparations and measurements) required for quantum process tomography grows exponentially with the number of constituent particles of a system. Consequently, in general, QPT is an impossible task for large-scale...
  16. G

    Practical measurements of ramjet engine

    Hello everyone I am trying to design a ramjet engine. For that I need measurements of its parts. Does anyone know how to calculate them or have a link to a website where I could find more information?
  17. R

    Practical use of Henry's Law (Experimentalists please advise)

    Hi, I need to find out practically how much gas to bubble into a liquid to make it fully saturated. I've found web pages on Henrys Law but can seem to find one on how you would do this experimentally. For example this youtube video shows you how to calculate it: But how would I...
  18. J

    Physics Practical: Check proportionality

    Homework Statement For part d), how to show that they are inversely proportional to each other ? The mark scheme states: "Correct calculation to check inverse proportionality. √h x cosϑ = k. Sensible comments relating to calculations to within 20% or their own value and suggested...
  19. J

    Physics Practical: Rebound height of a table-tennis ball

    Homework Statement For part aiii), the mark scheme states "Use of set squares to indicate height". I know what are set squares, but how does it aid to determine the rebound height, h? I thought set squares are to ensure two objects are perpendicular to one another? How does it help in...
  20. Demystifier

    Practical stuff in quantum physics

    I think it could be useful to have a thread where we can collect links to very practical material on quantum physics. For the start, I would like to give the link to the wikipedia page on Common integrals in quantum field theory...
  21. S

    Capstan winch practical for long 2,000' towing up 1,000'?

    Exploring practical options for towing a small/light flat bed trailer up mountain side that while flat at bottom gets progressively steeper until almost vertical right before it rounds out cresting at the top. Maximum design load not to be exceeded, not including trailer weight which has not...
  22. S

    Practical or sell-able skills of astronomy graduates

    Just being very curious, what do graduates of Cosmology, Astrophysics, or Astronomy do for careers? Do some or many employers wonder if these graduates have practical or sell-able skills? These people must have had other courses and have dealt with technical, equipment, engineering skills...
  23. J

    Practical application; wire coil dripping.

    As part of a wire manufacturing process, heavy wire coils are being sprayed with oil to prevent corrosion. Final step is to have these coils dripped to eliminate oil excess. Basic question is; if I where to build a vibration platform/table to do this dripping, what would be a good consideration...
  24. Z

    Superconducting magnetic energy storage, practical?

    Storing energy in a system means to raise the internal energy of it. A system could be in superconducting phase because the latter has correspondingly lower internal energy. How can energy be stored in a phase that has the lower energy? When energy is injected into the system, it would leave...
  25. G

    Guitarist in search of practical answers

    Just signed up to see if I could obtain any guidance on this topic. I'll start with some background. As a guitarist, I exist within a set group that, by and large, is in love with 1958 - the Gibson Les Paul, Fender Stratocaster, and some other influential late 50's and 60's instrument designs...
  26. hyteck9

    Can we achieve practical personal flight with current options?

    Hello to all, This is my first post, other than the introduction of course. I want to talk about personal flight options. I have searched in, and external to, this forum and understand there are various types of options currently available. However I'm not sure they are truly practical to...
  27. N

    In what way are computer science and physics related?

    I am considering a dual-major in Physics and Computer Programming. But i'd like some input on how the two can be used together first. What are your thoughts and opinions on a majoring these two? How might this be useful/practical in the real world and how might it be impractical. Thank you
  28. Z

    Finding Practical Resonance (Need help with my setup)

    Homework Statement This is for my differential equation project and this is the last part of the question. We know that the R=2 and C=0.001. We are given the equation: Q''+(R/L)Q'+(1/LC)Q=(117/L)sin(120*pi*t) We want to find the value of L such that we maximize the amplitude of the steady...
  29. A

    National Physics Olympiad Practical Round

    I realize questions about Olympiads have already been asked till death, but I think I haven't seen mine popping out anywhere, so here goes. Does anyone have any ideas on how to prep for the practical round of a physics Olympiad (not the IPhO, a national one). I can get papers for the I & APhO...
  30. O

    Angle of Deflection of water in an electric field

    Homework Statement I'm in the middle of a Year 11 open physics practical, and my partner and I have decided to attempt to find the angle of deflection of a stream of water when an electric field is placed near it. In order to do this experiment, we have a lot of 9V batteries, a voltmeter, a...
  31. A

    Engineering Little concern about choosing the practical major between astronomy and engineering

    I'm a grade 11 high school student who has passion for his dream of being an astronaut someday. My classes are mostly science related because I thought I needed them when I get to choose my major. I'm planning on going to university of toronto after I graduate, I was thinking of majoring...
  32. P

    Practical experience of minimum tension possible of a membrane

    I need to know a realistic minimum biaxial tension per unit length - in N/m - for the surface of a membrane which is 27.4 mm square - with surface density 0.0912 kg/m^2 - so that it could be vertical and remain tense so that mode shapes due incoming acoustic energy would remain intact (if the...
  33. T

    Gain Practical Knowledge: B.Tech E&C Student

    hey everyone, I`m a b.tech student in electronics &communication.though I`m okay with theory but I feel I`m way behind in practical knowledge and skills. my college doesn`t provide us with proper laboratory facilities.so,is there any way I can achieve practical knowledge??
  34. Warpspeed13

    Practical question liquid nitrogen stump removal

    Ok so I need to get a 3foot stump out of concrete without damaging the concrete. It's at that terrible stage where it's to rotten to pull out and to solid to scoop out. My idea is to drill a hole and pour liquid nitrogen down the hole to make the wood brittle and then smash it with a pry bar...
  35. A

    Help understanding torque - practical application

    Dear PF, This is my first post, so please pardon any faux pas. I've had some difficulty wrapping my head around the concept of torque. I have taken multiple classes on dynamics, statics, etc. I understand it theoretically, but not practically. A friend presented me with this problem...
  36. C

    Ever used Physics knowledge to play a practical joke?

    I'm not sure if I'm going to get any answers here, but I was just wondering... have any of you ever used your physics (or engineering/electrical) knowledge to play some kind of prank on someone?
  37. O

    High-School Physics Practical Investigation- Need Help

    Hey Guys, I'm a high-school student from Australia, and I am an avid lover of physics! I'm top of my class, however I am not a physicist so please explain things at a level I would understand. I am also new to the forum so i apologize in advance for any mistakes. As part of my VCE studies, I...
  38. C

    How can i make a simple and practical particle accelerator.

    Hallo everyone! I would like to make a small and simple particle accelerator that a) looks good and b) works. So if you could guys help me i would apriciate it alot! Thanks in advance. Christos Papanikolaou
  39. P

    Need Help with Physics Practical Project

    Hello, I have to do a physics practical project for one of my courses. The problem is i can't come up with ideas for the practical. I'm leaning towards classical mechanics. I was wondering you could help me come up with something? If i posted this in the wrong section I am sorry but it...
  40. A

    Programs Thinking about majoring in physics; practical advice?

    I'm entering Princeton this coming fall as an undergrad, and I've given serious thought to majoring in physics. Math was my favorite subject, but then I took AP physics and found an unrivaled love for it. I think I either want to conduct research as an experimental physicist or teach at a...
  41. T

    Optimizing profit in a practical setting, best technique?

    You are selling apples from a stand at the market. You are making a profit to comfortably cover your costs and provide compensation for effort. Now you are looking to increase profitability. The aim is to optimize the following variables to achieve maximum (expected) profit: a) Price for...
  42. A

    Practical - Finding the value of gravity

    1. We had to set up an experiment that looked like the attached diagram. By adding different masses (independent variable) we would measure angle theta (dependent variable). Our task was to draw an appropriate graph and from the gradient, see what our gravity value came to. So far i...
  43. R

    What is the relationship between temperature and pressure in gas laws?

    Hi all...! Gas laws. Sorry about the simplicity of the question, but that should make it easy :) I have two rigid containers open to air. One is 10 times the volume of the other. I cap each. I increase the temperature of each, 50 degrees. What can I say about the pressure inside the...
  44. B

    Programs Engineering, Math, Physics, Chemistry: $100/$1000 Items & Free Life Skills

    Engineering, math, physics, and chemistry graduates : What items can you produce with only what you learned in school with $100? $1000? List all of them with each having its separate $100 or $1000 budget. List skills you learned that are useful in life that are free as well, such as, finding the...
  45. P

    Rutherford experiment practical questions.

    Hi, Homework Statement I performed the Rutherford experiment the other day, using Au thin foil of 2μm, a source/gun of α particles (241Am) and a detector/counter. α particles were shot from the source through a slit of 20mmX1mm (presumably attached to the foil, thus narrowing the effective...
  46. W

    Any Practical, Daily Uses for Higgs Field?

    Any "Practical," Daily Uses for Higgs Field? First of all, my knowledge of the Higgs is limited to pretty much "Science" channel plus scientific related articles on the internet, so forgive any ignorance or misunderstandings. I am interested in potential future applications for the Higgs...
  47. Y

    Practical measurements of rotation in the Kerr metric

    In another thread WannabeNewton mentioned: and gave this reference: Until WBN mentioned it, I had never given any thought to the difference between these methods of measuring rotation, so I would like to explore those ideas further here, particularly in relation to the Kerr metric. Consider...
  48. B

    Impedance of practical Capacitor

    Homework Statement A practical capacitor can be modeled by an ideal capacitor in parallel with a resistor.Find the impedance of practical capacitor at the radian frequency ω=377rad/s.Known C1=0.1 x 10^-6F R1=1 *10^6. Homework Equations 1/Z=1/R1 + jCω The Attempt at a SolutionI am first...
  49. B

    Impedance of practical Capacitor

    A practical capacitor can be modeled by an ideal capacitor in parallel with a resistor.Find the impedance of practical capacitor at the radian frequency ω=377rad/s.Known C1=0.1 x 10^-6F R1=1 *10^6. I am first determining the Z, by adding the impedance of resistor and the capacitor in...
  50. J

    Good books on practical molecular electronic structure theory?

    Does anyone know of a good code-oriented book on molecular electronic structure theory? I've been looking for a good modern book that teaches how to write SCF code to solve simple cases of the kind of problem that standard quantum chemistry packages (e.g. Gaussian, Orca) are used for without...
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