Blog Post #10

 One of the main terms put forth by Arnett in this week's reading is "pragmatic" and its connection to the understanding and learning from the "other". Arnett defines pragmatic as "the need for practical engagement of ideas responsive to a particular historical moment," (Arnett et. al, p. 1) noting that this allows for learning from the other. By developing ideas into a pragmatic application, one can tie ethical positions to both new and time-tested ideas. This also connects with the ability for people to "cease using ethics as a weapon.... [and] embrace the necessity of learning as we meet diverse ethical positions contrary to our own with the assumption that learning does not necessarily suggest agreement" (Arnett et. al, p. 1). By using a pragmatic application, one is then able to place their knowledge/ideas into a broader context that allows for variations of ideas and healthy disagreement in terms of communication ethics. Overall, I thought this was a good way to apply the course concepts we have learned to real world applications.