Jens Oliver Meiert

The Constructivist Preference

Published on JanĀ 18, 2017 (updated JunĀ 6, 2021), filed under (feed). (Share this on Mastodon orĀ Bluesky?)

When we are presented with conflicting beliefs and ideas, which ones are we to support or assume? That question, in our age of scientism, is usually answered with ā€œthose that are true,ā€ or ā€œthose that are more realistic,ā€ irrespective of how these terms may be defined.

For anything that cannot be answered with a high degree of certainty I wish to propose that it’s more useful for us, and more advisable indeed, not to desperately look at truth or realism, but for what is more constructive or positive. Although one might label this genuine constructivism, positivism, or plain idealism, I like to call this the ā€œconstructivist preference.ā€

Applying the constructivist preference, which seems close to the pragmatist views of Charles Sanders Peirce and William James (they had suggested to judge the value of ideas in terms of their usefulness), means a careful monitoring of input to choose those statements that, unless there is no prima facie room for error, are more favorable. As that’s close to repeating what we’ve established in the last paragraph, we should inspect examples:

Of ā€œpeople are terribleā€ vs. ā€œpeople are great,ā€ two statements asymmetric as much as unprovable, ā€œpeople are greatā€ should—here I prefer the normative route—be preferred, no matter how many cases were brought forth that want people to be terrible.

Of ā€œthings get betterā€ vs. ā€œthings will stay the sameā€ (or get worse), more constructive is certainly the belief that things get better (and we remember Ɖmile CouĆ© when he famously coined the affirmation, ā€œevery day, in every way, I’m getting better and betterā€).

Of ā€œlife is difficultā€ vs. ā€œlife is easy,ā€ no matter the frivolous triviality, the constructivist preference absolutely favors ā€œlife is easy.ā€ Following the pragmatists (ā€œwhat are the practical implications of accepting this as true?ā€) we know why we prefer the latter.

What led me to this preference have been occasional conversations that contained mere opinion, dark opinion, and one or the other situation in which a participant would cling to something so hard to verify (scientifically: falsify), yet so negative, that one could not bear the damage such person mentally inflicted on themselves, that I longed for something to ground myself, and maybe convince the other: In matters of opinion, and beyond the glass that’s half full, let’s prefer those views that are more constructive.

About Me

Jens Oliver Meiert, on November 9, 2024.

I’m Jens (long: Jens Oliver Meiert), and I’m a web developer, manager, and author. I’ve been working as a technical lead and engineering manager for companies you’ve never heard of and companies you use every day, I’m an occasional contributor to web standards (like HTML, CSS, WCAG), and I write and review books for O’Reilly and Frontend Dogma.

I love trying things, not only in web development and engineering management, but also in other areas like philosophy. Here on meiert.com I share some of my experiences and views. (I value you being critical, interpreting charitably, and giving feedback.)