Pragmatic is an adjective that describes a person who is concerned with results and consequences. A pragmatic person can make decisions that will be most effective for a given situation. People who are pragmatic may be more likely to take incremental improvement rather than trying to achieve a grand vision all at once.
When used in a philosophical context, pragmatism refers to an approach to philosophy that emphasizes the importance of practical outcomes and experience over dogmatic truth claims and abstract concepts. This philosophy is rooted in the belief that what is true is what works. It also places a high value on the freedom of inquiry and experimentation. While many scholars have contributed to pragmatism, it was first developed by Charles Sanders Peirce and William James.
The earliest pragmatists focused on issues of meaning, interpretation and communication. They also argued against the reification of objects and ideas, which was a common feature of traditional philosophy. Later, pragmatists like George Herbert Mead and Mary Parker Follett focused their work on social sciences and human relations. They critiqued prevailing individualist ontologies and sought to promote a concept of power-with rather than power-over in institutional settings.
In the early 1900s, pragmatism gained new momentum with the scientific revolution taking place around evolutionary theory. William James characterized the history of philosophy as a clash between two temperaments: the tough-minded empiricist commitment to the facts and the tender-minded preference for a priori principles that appeal to ratiocination. He promised that pragmatism would resolve this conflict.
One of the most significant developments in pragmatism came from philosophers like Alfred North Whitehead and Bertrand Russell, who were influenced by Peirce. They developed a more sophisticated approach to the philosophy of science that emphasized method and process over objectivity and reification. In recent times, pragmatism has been revitalized by philosophers who reject neopragmatism’s blithe dismissal of questions of truth and aim to restore classical pragmatist ideals of objectiveness. They have also sought to rehabilitate pragmatic insights into the nature of inference, including the illocutionary force of words and the concept of speech act theory.
In education, pragmatic skills are essential for students to effectively communicate their needs and thoughts in the classroom. Students with strong pragmatic skills are more capable of collaborating with peers and building relationships, which fosters a positive learning environment. In contrast, students with weak pragmatic skills struggle to express themselves and can experience frustration when they are unable to communicate their ideas with others.
Teachers can support the development of pragmatic skills through explicit teaching strategies, including modeling and role-playing. Social skills apps and collaborative group activities can provide opportunities for students to practice the communication behaviors that will help them be successful in the classroom. Additionally, using technology to support the development of pragmatic skills can be a powerful tool. Video modeling and social skills apps can be used to teach students the vocabulary of pragmatics and the social cues that will allow them to effectively interact in a variety of contexts.