Pragmatic is a philosophy that states that an ideology or proposition is true if it works satisfactorily and that unpractical ideas should be rejected. It is a movement within philosophy that originated in the latter quarter of the nineteenth century and has significantly influenced non-philosophers—in fields as diverse as law, education, politics, sociology, psychology, literary criticism, and economics.
Semantics is the study of the significance conventionally or literally attached to words and phrases, whereas pragmatics deals with the meanings that arise in context, such as how a sentence could be interpreted differently from one situation to another, based on what was meant by its speaker. The field of pragmatics has many branches, including speech act theory, ambiguity theory, and conversational implicature.
Developing pragmatic skills is essential to a student’s social-emotional growth and academic success. Students with strong pragmatic skills are able to interpret social cues, navigate turn-taking and topic maintenance, and understand how to communicate effectively in different situations. Educators can support pragmatic skill development in the classroom by explicitly teaching these behaviors, modeling them through role-playing, and encouraging collaborative group work to develop students’ communication abilities. In addition, technology and digital tools can be used to provide visual supports and interactive practice opportunities for pragmatics.
A pragmatic approach to learning means paying close attention to how students respond to the environment and how they interact with others. It involves identifying problems, finding solutions, and communicating with peers to resolve conflict. The goal is to create a positive, supportive, and inclusive learning environment where everyone thrives.
Pragmatic is a word with multiple meanings and uses, but the most common meaning is “of practical use.” The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) notes that pragmatic is an adjective that refers to something that has practical value or usefulness; it can also be used as a noun referring to a person’s ability to deal effectively with situations.
There is no pragmatist creed—no neat list of articles or essential tenets that are endorsed by all pragmatists and only by them. However, there are certain themes and theses that have loomed large in pragmatist thought: Peirce’s idea that beliefs are rules for action; James’s teleological understanding of the mind; Dewey’s Darwinian ruminations on experience; Popper’s mockery of the bucket theory of the mind; and Rorty’s rejection of a naturalistic view of reality.
The philosophical concept of pragmatism is an attempt to free philosophy from optional assumptions that generate insoluble problems. A pragmatic view of truth seeks to move from a Cartesian picture of reality to a more realist and utilitarian one. This, in turn, leads to a more flexible, adaptable, and useful way of thinking about reality. It also allows us to make better use of our language, to negotiate ambiguity, and to rely on pragmatic knowledge to make decisions about how to live our lives. It’s a view that explains why people often compromise between their theoretically ideal outcomes and the practical, feasible actions they can take.