A pragmatic person takes a realistic view of the world and makes decisions based on what works best rather than an idealistic vision. They may choose to settle a lawsuit rather than fight it in court, for example. They might also take a more incremental approach to saving wildlife than an all-out effort to save the planet from pollution, for example. In philosophy, the term pragmatic is used to describe a philosophy of action that focuses on real-world results.
Pragmatic philosophy is closely linked to the idea of freedom and personal responsibility. It believes that humans are in control of their lives and actions, and that they should be able to pursue their own values and interests without being restricted by government or societal norms. Those who subscribe to this view believe that human freedom and autonomy are fundamental to human happiness.
There are several different kinds of Pragmatism. Some, known as heuristic pragmatists, use the scientific method to test ideas and find truth. In heuristic pragmatism, theories are considered accurate only if they can be tested and replicated with success. These pragmatists are most concerned with finding practical solutions to human problems and improving people’s lives.
Others, called experimental pragmatists, focus on creating a knowledge base that is both accurate and useful. These pragmatists use experimentation and empirical investigation to create theories and ideas that work in practice, while taking into account the social context in which they will be used.
Still others, called critical pragmatists, look at the underlying assumptions of a theory and challenge its validity. This type of pragmatism seeks to develop a system of logic that is logically consistent and free from biases. Critical pragmatists are a minority within the philosophical community, and their ideas have only recently gained prominence in the United States.
The word pragmatic derives from the Greek pragma, meaning “deed,” and historically describes philosophers who focused more on practical applications of their ideas than on abstract notions. John Dewey was a famous classical pragmatist, and his wide-ranging writings influenced American intellectual life for a half century. But as other philosophies gained momentum, especially analytic philosophy, heuristic pragmatism began to lose ground.
Many areas of study have incorporated the principles of Pragmatism, including public administration, political science, leadership studies, and international relations. It is a popular view in business, as well.
The academic field of Pragmatics has expanded to include the study of how people use language, the physical or social context in which words are used, and the meaning that speakers ascribe to their own words. The term pragmatics is often used in contrast to semantics, syntax, and semiotics, which focus on the rules that govern the literal linguistic meanings of expressions and how they are combined into sentences, respectively. Managing the flow of reference, in which listeners track syntactic and semantic clues to understand what a speaker means, is also part of pragmatics. Pragmatics is a broad and growing discipline, but it has never been a unifying force in the philosophy of language like semantics and syntax have been.
