Pragmatic is a word that is often used to describe people who are logical and practical. It is also a way to describe actions that are useful or functional. People who are pragmatic tend to follow the path that will get them results, even if it means cutting corners or taking shortcuts. People who are pragmatic can be very wise, but they can also be a bit flighty or inefficient.
The pragmatists believed that the truth depends on how useful a theory or claim is, rather than whether or not it was created by God or by some philosopher. In this sense, they are more like utilitarians than realists or idealists. They think that a theory or claim is valid if it has been proven to be effective in the field and does not suffer from any inherent flaws.
For example, if we tell a child that there are invisible gremlins living in electrical outlets who will bite them if they touch them, the theory might “work” by keeping them from touching the outlets. However, if the theory is proven to be false, it will not be considered valid, and the child may end up being bitten.
There is no unified pragmatist creed; in fact, there are many different views amongst pragmatists. However, certain ideas have loomed large in the pragmatist tradition. These include:
First, pragmatists have criticised the correspondence theory of truth. This is the view that true statements are those which will work in the field and will be accepted by inquirers at the end of a process of inquiry. James and Dewey are usually said to have held this view, although it is sometimes caricatured or misinterpreted.
A second pragmatism concern is the problem of a theory’s generating or producing acceptable results. In this respect, pragmatism has been compared to the pragmatic maxim, which states that any statement which has been proven to work in practice is likely to be considered to be true in the future. The pragmatic maxim is therefore a useful guide in judging the validity of new theories, but it is not in itself proof of their truth.
Finally, a third pragmatism concern is the problem that pragmatism does not apply well to questions of morality and ethics. The reason for this is that pragmatism tends to implode when applied to these issues, since it is difficult to define what “works” in such an amoral context. For this reason, pragmatism has not been very successful in promoting itself as a philosophical doctrine. However, it has been an important influence on a number of fields, including sociology, ethics, and psychology. It has also inspired the development of a number of scientific techniques, such as decision theory and relevance analysis. These techniques are widely used in the management of risk. They are particularly useful in assessing the impact of potential environmental damage, and in helping to decide what steps can be taken to avoid such damage.