The term ‘pragmatic’ has been defined as based on practical considerations and has been around since the late 16th century. It comes from the Greek pragmatikos, which means’relating to fact’, and pragma, a root meaning ‘doing’. While this definition is largely unrelated to the philosophy of pragmatism, it does provide important insight into how educators can improve their teaching philosophy.
The earliest practitioners of pragmatism came from the Metaphysical Club, a group of Harvard-educated men who met in Cambridge, Massachusetts, for informal philosophical discussions. Some members included the proto-positivist Chauncey Wright, who would go on to become the first American Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes. Other members of the club included logician Charles Sanders Peirce and psychologist William James, who also held a medical degree.
The term ‘pragmatism’ refers to the way in which people think and act. It does not consider the literal meaning of an utterance, but also considers the implied meanings. In addition, pragmatism examines the way language interactions take place, and how language acts as an instrument for interaction. Ultimately, pragmatism is an essential feature of language analysis, without which there would be no meaningful understanding of how we use language.
For example, a speaker may tell another person “I have two sons.” A listener might interpret this as implying that the speaker has a monopoly on his or her time. However, the speaker’s intentions are quite different than the listener’s, and the two types of people may be at odds. Moreover, it is the listener’s responsibility to interpret the meaning of a statement in a way that respects both people’s beliefs.
The concept of a community of interpretation and thought can be illustrated by the idea of a’social infinite’. As a result, the concept of social infinity is an important concept in Pragmatism. Many philosophers have explored this concept in various ways, including Royce’s Social Infinite and Suckiel’s Heaven’s Champion. The American Philosopher, by contrast, aims to make meaning through practical reason.
The pragmatic tradition has long criticized the Cartesian picture of the mind, especially in relation to the existence of the self. Peirce and James both argued that beliefs are merely rules of action. Dewey believed that experience is teleological. Wittgenstein and Popper mocked the bucket theory of the mind and refused to view the mind as Nature’s mirror. While Davidson and Sellars criticized the idea of a subjective mind, both tended to argue that the concept is largely a myth.
In addition to the definitions above, pragmatic language also includes a wide variety of situations. The concept of pragmatic language is so broad that it is difficult to pinpoint the cause of a child’s pragmatic language difficulties. Children with language disorders and autism may struggle with this language area. For children with poor pragmatic skills, visual supports, role models, and social stories are helpful. Increasing interaction with other people strengthens pragmatic language skills. You can also use language games and social stories to help your child improve their pragmatic language skills.
