Pragmatic is an approach to communication and language that focuses on situations and context rather than on reference, truth, or grammar. It is a general philosophy that is sometimes also called American pragmatism because it was developed by members of the Chicago School (Mead, Dewey, Angell, and Moore). Other names for pragmatics include pragmatist theory, situationist theory, and conversational implicature theory. The theory of pragmatics is a central part of the philosophy of language and the Philosophy of Action.
In the language classroom, teachers often use pragmatic activities to teach students how to communicate appropriately in a variety of situations. For example, a teacher might create an activity with different scenarios and ask students to choose how they would respond in each one. Students might then discuss the different responses and why some were appropriate while others weren’t. This type of activity can help students understand that there is no one right way to communicate in any situation and that the best communication depends on the circumstances.
Pragmatism is a metaphilosophy that views human knowledge as limited and imperfect. It embraces empiricism, fallibilism, verificationism, and a Quinean naturalist metaphilosophy. It is also considered a form of epistemological relativism. However, not all pragmatists embrace epistemological relativism to the extent that many other philosophies do. For instance, Joseph Margolis believes that pragmatism is compatible with a more sophisticated form of scientific skepticism that does not result in an all-encompassing epistemological relativism.
It has numerous branches that relate to linguistics, such as the theory of how the same sentence can express different meanings in various contexts, the theory of indexicality and ambiguity, and the theory of speech act theory. It is also closely related to the philosophy of action, which is another branch of pragmatism that focuses on how people actually behave and their beliefs about why they do what they do.
People who are pragmatic are concerned with results and consequences. They are more interested in what works than in what should or could be. A person who is pragmatic will often do what is most practical and efficient in a given situation, even if it runs counter to his or her ideals. In the business world, pragmatic people are known for their ability to make decisions quickly and effectively.
Pragmatic is often contrasted with idealism, which is a philosophy that focuses on adherence to certain principles regardless of how they might conflict with reality. For example, an idealistic person may be unwilling to compromise his or her principles in order to get a job or business deal. Such a person is unlikely to be successful in the long run because it is difficult for him or her to stay motivated when faced with challenges. In addition, an idealistic person is likely to be a perfectionist and may find it difficult to take risks or be spontaneous. Being pragmatic, on the other hand, allows him or her to achieve a greater number of successes.
