Pragmatism

Chairman Freeth identified Tragan as a pragmatist, since he concerned himself only with practical consequences, uninterested in "the finer feelings". (AUDIO: The Paradise of Death ^[+]Loading...["The Paradise of Death (audio story)"])

Accounts differed on the term's exact definition. The Sixth Doctor saw Melanie Bush as a pragmatist. She kept him grounded, reminding him what his priorities ought to be. (TV: The Ultimate Foe ^[+]Loading...["The Ultimate Foe (TV story)"])

Inspector Drake had this to say on the matter:

"Do you know what a pragmatist is? [...] It's somebody who doesn't stick with a losing team. Somebody who always asks themselves one simple question: what's in it for me? Is that you?"Drake (TV: Jaws of Orthrus ^[+]Loading...["Jaws of Orthrus (TV story)"])

The Fourth Doctor once observed that the Master was "unscrupulous", and a pragmatist who destroy anything in his way. He would often kill his allies the moment he no longer had any use for them just for the sake of doing it. (AUDIO: Blood of the Time Lords ^[+]Loading...["Blood of the Time Lords (audio story)"])

The Doctor

The Twelfth Doctor often took a pragmatic approach, especially early in life, and was even willing to sacrifice the lives of others so that those remaining could survive. (TV: Into the Dalek ^[+]Loading...["Into the Dalek (TV story)"]) He told Bill Potts that he had no choice but to "move on", because if he didn't, more people would die, and he would be responsible. (TV: Thin Ice ^[+]Loading...["Thin Ice (TV story)"]) Nonetheless, he was undoubtedly an idealist, willing to take a stand to help others even when very little hope remained, simply because "it [was] right" and "decent". (TV: The Doctor Falls ^[+]Loading...["The Doctor Falls (TV story)"])