Pragmatic is a philosophical movement that focuses on the real-world implications of language, ideas, and actions. Pragmatism has broad philosophical applications and is often used as a tool to break down intractable metaphysical and epistemological disputes.
In its classic form, pragmatism was developed by American philosophers John Dewey and Charles Sanders Peirce. Dewey’s broad thinking was influential across a range of subjects, including psychology, philosophy, sociology and education. His emphasis on experience, individuality and learning were key elements of pragmatism’s development.
Peirce also contributed to the philosophical foundation of pragmatism with his pragmatic stance on truth and knowledge. His theory of pragmatism emphasized the idea that a belief becomes true only in so far as it works to support human inquiry and action. He called this the “practical utility” of a belief. This approach to truth pushed the boundaries of traditional metaphysics and epistemology.
The pragmatist approach to epistemology is sometimes seen as a form of relativism, but many pragmatists reject this label. They argue that all human knowledge is limited and incomplete, but they also assert that epistemological relativism is not the same as a generalized skeptical attitude or a rigorous scientific skepticism.
Another important element of pragmatism is its commitment to the use of language to achieve goals and solve problems. This approach to language is the focus of a subfield of philosophical study called semantics, which studies how meaning is conveyed through words and phrases. This view of language contrasts with more literal views, such as those of Frege and Russell, which are the foundation of philosophical logic.
The concept of pragmatics has become central to modern philosophy of language and linguistics. Philosophers such as Korta and Perry have developed a critical version of pragmatism, which is sometimes referred to as “Critical Pragmatism.” This approach has shifted the focus from the ‘truth-conditions’ and’referential content’ that are characteristic of classical pragmatism to the ‘utterance-bound’ or ‘locutionary’ content of an utterance.
In practical terms, a person who is considered to be a pragmatist is a person who weighs the costs and benefits of a particular course of action before making a decision. He or she takes into account the various alternatives and tries to reach a compromise between his or her theoretical ideal outcome and what is realistically possible in a given situation. In politics, the term pragmatic is frequently applied to those who try to bring opposing sides together for a compromise, rather than holding firm to an ideological position.