Seeing is believing?

“If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way.” Bertrand Russell

Where does pragmatism fit with this view? I'm not sure it's just about instinct. There's also something about being able to visualise how something might work, what it would look like in practice. Pragmatism then allows for experimentation along the way in order to find what works, acknowledging that learning takes place even when things don't work so well. 

Myths are different because we all know really that they are just stories, don't we? It's surely about taking the lessons and then applying them that makes them endure? So, a common myth held within youth work currently is that young people don't want adults/youth workers in their digital space. For some, this myth is a convenient truth because it's tied up with their own interests and confidence in relation to digital tools. However, pragmatism would tell us to think about the possibilities and to give it a go, seeing what works and what doesn't. This also tied up with Dewey's idea of transactions: that a dialogue between all players enables the learning to be identified and shared, and the chance for innovation and creativity to flourish. His externalism - the view that mental events and acts are essentially dependent on the world external to the mind - links also to Vygotsky's social constructivism. The digital tools that we have access to as educators  cultural history, social context, and language and can be used as conduits to transact with young  people as well as enhancing how we engage. .