Pragmatic is a philosophical movement that emphasizes action-oriented thinking and emphasizes the notion of truth as something to be achieved rather than an absolute objective concept. It is also a philosophy that emphasizes the role of context and individual perspectives in the process of discovering what is true. This approach can be applied to a variety of areas, including the philosophy of science, education and ethics.
Pragmatism emerged in the United States around 1870 and presents a third alternative to both analytic and Continental philosophical traditions worldwide. The core ideas were developed by Charles Sanders Peirce and his colleague William James, who drew on Peirce’s theory of inquiry and meaning to explore the nature of truth. Peirce’s Harvard colleague Josiah Royce, though he was officially allied with absolute idealism, came to share James’ enthusiasm for pragmatism (for a brief overview of the development of these ideas see Menand 1998).
Contemporary pragmatists have embraced classical pragmatism in various ways. For example, pragmatism’s emphasis on achieving the truth through action-oriented thinking has lent itself to a utilitarian moral philosophy. One prominent utilitarian philosopher, Ronald Dworkin, has used pragmatism as the basis for his philosophy of law, in which he asserts that “the right thing to do is always the thing that will most benefit all those involved.”
Other contemporary pragmatists have focused on applying classical pragmatism to specific social issues. For example, Cornel West has advocated a prophetic pragmatism that draws on Christian and Marxian thought, while Shannon Sullivan has pioneered the field of ‘whiteness studies’ (Sullivan 2006). Other contemporary pragmatists have utilized classical pragmatism as a framework for liberatory philosophy projects in areas such as feminism, disability studies, medical ethics and ecology.
Some modern pragmatists have developed new theories of language that are distinct from those of classical pragmatism. For example, Robert Brandom has developed a theory of inferential pragmatics that is quite distinct from the philosophy of language developed by classical pragmatists such as James, Dewey and Rorty. His theory focuses on the use of signs or symbols as tools for inferring their meanings, unlike the semantics and syntax that are central to the work of classical pragmatists.
A major challenge for neopragmatists is to address the neglect of a key concept of classical pragmatism, that is, the role of experience. This neglect stems from neopragmatists’ rejection of the philosophical foundations of classical pragmatism, in particular, its reliance on a’rejectionism’ aimed at eliminating dichotomies such as fact/value, mind/body and analytic/synthetic. A pragmatist response to this challenge may be found in the work of the Frankfurt School philosopher Jurgen Habermas, who advocates a discourse ethics that incorporates pragmatism’s concept of the community of inquirers and Peirce’s inquiry-based analysis of truth to develop a critique of capitalism. He has made significant contributions in the areas of political philosophy, ethics, philosophy of law and philosophy of religion.