Pragmatism is a philosophical school of thought that began around the year 1870 in the United States. It presents itself as a third way to view philosophical issues beyond ‘Continental’ and ‘analytic’ modes. Some of its key figures include Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, and the philosopher and mathematician Josiah Royce. This early school was influenced by the scientific revolution centered on evolution.
Pragmatic knowledge is important for understanding different cultural norms. For example, in Greek culture, a stop sign is a hand raised with palm facing away. But in other cultures, this gesture is highly insulting. A pragmatic view can help us disambiguate meanings and avoid making assumptions that might not be correct.
Another important quality of pragmatic people is the ability to work with the resources we have. Instead of wasting time in idle conversations or ineffectual activities, pragmatists actively use the resources available to them to achieve their goals. They weigh their priorities in life carefully and take action as soon as the results are evident. Even if the results aren’t spectacular, pragmatists don’t shirk from difficult tasks.
Despite its benefits, pragmatism has its disadvantages. It is not a character trait that is universally positive, and the greatest challenges that pragmatists face are in the interpersonal sphere. Pragmatists often have little understanding of the emotional blocks that other people have in their way of thinking. In addition, their lack of empathy causes misunderstandings in relationships. Because of this, it is difficult to work with pragmatic people.
In the 19th century, pragmatism became a popular philosophical current. It was particularly popular in Anglo-Saxon countries. William James used the term in a lecture and in his writings. James cited Charles S. Peirce’s 1878 publications as a source for pragmatism.
Pragmatics is the study of language and social contexts. Its focus is on the ways that speakers convey meaning. In particular, pragmatics is concerned with the relationships between speakers and their listeners. Although the concept dates back to antiquity, the modern conception of pragmatics emerged between the 1780s and 1830s in Britain, France, and Germany. Since then, it has become a multidisciplinary field of study spanning the social, natural, and human sciences.
