The word pragmatic is often used in a positive way to praise choices or actions that are considered practical and reasonable. It is also a philosophy that emphasizes practical consequences in the determination of meaning, truth or value. Pragmatism is a logical approach that seeks to avoid dogmatic positions and extreme forms of skepticism. It is sometimes compared to empiricism, although it differs in that it goes much further in defining the nature of knowledge and truth than empiricism does. It is also a philosophical movement that has had an impact on many other fields of study, including public administration, leadership studies and research methodology.

A pragmatist would agree that some forms of logic are useful, but he or she would not be committed to any particular form of formal logic. Rather than dismissing the possibility of formal logic, a pragmatist might criticize its pretension to ultimate validity or perhaps see it as one set of tools among others that can be used for different purposes.

Pragmatic people are those who value efficiency and practicality above all else. In a clinical context, this means that they will choose hypnosis techniques based on their ability to help clients overcome their issues and achieve desired results. They will also take a direct and objective approach to each client, with an eye for what works and what does not.

The term pragmatism is derived from the Greek word praxis, which means “to do.” It can refer to a person’s approach to a situation, or the philosophical movement that emphasizes practical consequences in the determination of truth or value. The philosophies of pragmatism have influenced many other fields, including psychology and sociology.

What is a Pragmatic Person?

Pragmatists believe that knowledge is not a collection of propositions that are true or false. Instead, knowledge is an understanding of how a reality actually works. It is the knowledge that allows us to make decisions and take action in the world around us. It is the kind of knowledge that enables us to function as rational human beings in an increasingly complex and uncertain environment.

The philosophy of pragmatism has spawned several disciplines, including philosophy of language, theology and business ethics. Other fields that have incorporated the principles of pragmatism are public administration, political science, leadership studies and international relations. In psychology and sociology, pragmatism has been associated with the work of William James, John Dewey, George Herbert Mead and Charles Sanders Peirce. It is sometimes referred to as ordinary language philosophy.

The philosophy of pragmatism has implications for the theory of meaning and language. For example, it explains why the ambiguity of some words is not an error. It also explains why the meaning of an utterance may be determined by its context. In this regard, it is similar to semantics, which is concerned with the ways in which sentences of a language are matched up with the propositions that they express. The difference is that semantics focuses on the content of the sentence, while pragmatics considers the features of the speech context that make up its meaning.