Pragmatic is a word used to describe people and things that are focused on practicality, real-world application, and results. A pragmatic person wouldn’t want to get a four-year-old a unicorn for her birthday, for example, as that would be unrealistic and inefficient. Similarly, a research paradigm that embraces the philosophy of pragmatism is designed to be as practical as possible. This enables it to use the most appropriate methods when investigating a specific question, which can often result in multimethod or mixed methods research.
The philosophical stance of pragmatism emerged as a reaction against traditional assumptions about the nature of reality, knowledge, and inquiry. Its founders, William James and John Dewey, believed that each person’s perception of reality is influenced by her experiences, which in turn influence what knowledge she has and how she acquires it. Thus, knowledge is social and not absolute (Rorty 1980).
One of the key components of pragmatism is its understanding that reality is in a constant state of becoming and that this is achieved by action. This is the basis of its pragmatist epistemology, which states that there is no such thing as true or false knowledge and that all knowledge is created through experience. In addition, pragmatism rejects the idea that a scientific method can provide direct access to reality. Instead, it considers that the most important knowledge is that which is useful (Goldkuhl 2012; Morgan 2014a).
A pragmatic research paradigm is an approach to investigating a research problem that seeks to address real-world concerns using the most appropriate methods to answer the questions at hand. For instance, it might include the use of a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods or allow for collaboration with community partners to develop research questions. Additionally, it might incorporate elements of pragmatist epistemology by focusing on the use of abductive reasoning (back-and-forth between induction and deduction) to create data rather than a priori assumptions.
While a pragmatic research paradigm allows for the most flexibility in terms of selecting the appropriate research methods to investigate a research problem, it is not without its limitations. One of these limitations is that it can lead to a lack of objectivity in the process because researchers are required to weigh trade-offs between different options for investigating a research question. This can also lead to an over-emphasis on measurable and quantifiable measures at the expense of other more meaningful or ethical dimensions of a research question.
Another limitation is that pragmatism can be easily confused with relativism. While many people recognize that pragmatism completely collapses when it is applied to morality, others have argued that a pragmatic approach to morality simply amounts to relativist beliefs dressed up with a more-polished veneer. For example, it may seem pragmatic to kill a creditor if it means that you will never have to pay a debt, but this is not pragmatic when considering the consequences for all involved, including the victim’s family and the fact that the murderer has deprived society of one of its members.
