Pragmatic is a philosophy that aims to address the real world issues of life. Many philosophers have embraced this philosophy, including Charles Sanders Peirce and John Dewey, and there is a pragmatic school of thought in the fields of education, psychology, social work and even business management.
Some pragmatists are epistemological relativists (e.g. Joseph Margolis) but this view is not endorsed by all pragmatists. Most pragmatists are pragmatic idealists, however, and there is a strong emphasis on ethical principles such as fairness.
Those who are considered to be pragmatic are people who can make practical decisions in a crisis. They are able to set aside their emotions and take a step-by-step approach to solving the problem.
The word pragmatic comes from the Greek roots “pragma” and “to do”. Its meaning has been changed slightly over time, but its original definition is a principle or rule that helps achieve a desired outcome. In other words, it is a principle of doing what works. This philosophy has influenced the field of psychotherapy, where there are a variety of therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy.
Some of the biggest philosophers who were considered pragmatists include Charles Sanders Peirce, William James and John Dewey. They were all influential in the development of American pragmatism, although they did not all agree with each other. For example, Peirce and James were both pragmatic idealists but Dewey was a utilitarian.
A central concept in pragmatism is the notion that knowledge is an activity and that it is definable by its practical utility. This led to a number of ideas about how knowledge is derived from experience and what it is that makes a belief true or false.
Another important idea in pragmatism is that truth is what a proposition does, not just what it says. This idea has been criticized as a form of relativism, but it is an important part of how pragmatists see reality.
In philosophy, pragmatism is often viewed as a challenge to positivist orthodoxy. Quine, for instance, argued against mainstream analytic philosophy, and he showed a qualified enthusiasm for some aspects of pragmatism. Other pragmatists who have attacked positivism include Ludwig Wittgenstein, F.P. Ramsey, Nelson Goodman and Wilfrid Sellars.
Some of the ideas in classical pragmatism are still influential today, particularly in the field of public administration. This is due to the fact that a lot of the problems that public administrators deal with are practical in nature. For example, public administrators are responsible for helping programs work within a complicated environment. They also must work with citizens on a daily basis. In order to solve these problems, administrators must develop theories about how best to deal with them. The philosophical thinking of Dewey and James can help them develop these theories. These theories then become the tools that public administrators use to make things work. This pragmatic approach is particularly useful in an era where government has become increasingly reliant on science.