Its validity is the process of its valid-ATION.
But what do the words verification and validation themselves
pragmatically mean? They again signify certain practical
consequences of the verified and validated idea. It is hard to find
any one phrase that characterizes these consequences better than the
ordinary agreement-formula--just such consequences being what we
have in mind whenever we say that our ideas 'agree' with reality.
They lead us, namely, through the acts and other ideas which they
instigate, into or up to, or towards, other parts of experience with
which we feel all the while-such feeling being among our
potentialities--that the original ideas remain in agreement. The
connexions and transitions come to us from point to point as being
progressive, harmonious, satisfactory. This function of agreeable
leading is what we mean by an idea's verification. Such an account
is vague and it sounds at first quite trivial, but it has results
which it will take the rest of my hour to explain.
Let me begin by reminding you of the fact that the possession of
true thoughts means everywhere the possession of invaluable
instruments of action; and that our duty to gain truth, so far from
being a blank command from out of the blue, or a 'stunt' self-
imposed by our intellect, can account for itself by excellent
practical reasons.
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