Pragmatic is a way of thinking and acting that emphasizes practicality, action, and success. It involves assessing a situation objectively and focusing on achievable goals, while avoiding emotions and biases. Taking a pragmatic approach allows individuals to be more efficient in problem-solving and decision-making. It also reduces risk and increases productivity. The pragmatic mindset can be applied to many areas of life, including interpersonal relationships, workplace efficiency, and academic research.
Pragmatism was founded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It’s considered one of the most authentic contributions to American philosophy and grew from the ideas of Charles S. Peirce, William James, and John Dewey.
Unlike its European counterparts, pragmatism is not a moral philosophy. It’s a way of thinking that doesn’t require or demand specific values, instead viewing values as pragmatically based on context. For example, you can play a game of superheroes with someone and it would be pragmatic to let them win—but you might not be as inclined to do so if the winner is a villain that’s out to destroy your community.
People don’t always say what they mean, and ambiguity in language is an ongoing source of frustration. Pragmatics is the study of how meaning is created and conveyed, facilitating communication. It encompasses a wide range of topics, from how we politely hedge a request to how computers interpret human languages.
A central aspect of pragmatism is recognizing that reality is dynamic and constantly changing. This concept of a perpetual process of becoming makes the pragmatic perspective highly compatible with evolutionary theory and the idea that human life is in a constant state of change. It also puts pragmatists in a good position to challenge idealism and metaphysical beliefs that impose rigid moral and ethical standards on people.
There are two main philosophies of pragmatism—one that leans toward relativism and one that leans toward realism. The first, associated with Rorty, flirts with relativism and implies that truth isn’t as important a philosophical concept as it has traditionally been. The second, favored by Putnam, has a more reductive view of truth in terms of ideal warranted assertibility and owes a debt to the work of Peirce, James, and Dewey.
When it comes to research, pragmatism is about determining whether a certain line of inquiry will lead to desirable or anticipated results. A pragmatist research approach will take into account the socially situated nature of problems and consider how those problems can be addressed within existing resources, knowledge, and theories. Morgan (2014a) discusses how a pragmatist framework can be used in social justice-oriented research, arguing that it can help address societal issues by focusing on the problems’ real-world causes and effects. In addition, it can guide the choice of methodologies by analyzing the potential consequences of each option. A pragmatist approach to research can also reduce risk by emphasizing the importance of contextual, collaborative, and participatory approaches.
