Pragmatic describes an approach to dealing with issues that emphasizes practical considerations and realism. It is an attitude that prioritizes practical outcomes and consequences, taking into account what actually happens when a person acts or makes decisions in a given context. Pragmatic individuals often take a realistic view of a situation and are skeptical of strategies that are untested or unrealistic, which can make them an excellent team member on projects that require problem-solving skills.
Pragmatism may not always be appropriate in all circumstances, however. An overly pragmatic mindset can lead to ethical dilemmas if it prioritizes certain values or goals at the expense of others. For example, if someone kills their creditor to avoid paying a debt, they might feel acting pragmatically in the short-term but they should consider that their actions will have far-reaching effects on the community, including the loss of a life.
Modern pragmatics is a large and varied field, with different researchers focusing on different aspects of language use. There is formal pragmatics, concerned with the underlying linguistic structure of utterances; functionalist pragmatics, which studies how language is used in real-life situations; cognitive pragmatics, which studies people’s mental processes as they interpret messages; and a variety of subfields, such as intercultural, clinical, experimental and neuropragmatics.
There are also a number of different philosophical approaches to pragmatics. Some, such as the Literalists, think that semantics is basically autonomous and needs no “pragmatic intrusion”; others, such as the Relevance Theory, adopt the basic outlines of Grice’s idea of communicative intention but demur on many details and a psychological orientation; and some, such as the pragmatic linguists, attempt to connect classical semantics (treating propositional content as ‘true’ or ‘false’) with intuitionistic semantics (dealing with illocutionary forces).
It is important for adults to develop self-awareness of their social behaviors and identify areas where they could improve their pragmatic abilities. Seeking feedback from trusted individuals can help them recognize strengths and weaknesses in their interpersonal interactions and provide helpful guidance for implementing positive changes. In addition, social skills training programs can provide a supportive environment for adults to practice new pragmatic behaviors in realistic scenarios.
