Pragmatic is a philosophical word that describes a person who focuses on what works and doesn’t worry about the “shoulds” or “coulds”. It’s a great trait to have if you want to be able to get things done. Pragmatic people tend to make decisions quickly and don’t waste time on small talk or lengthy meetings. They’re effective and can be very persuasive. These people will often take the most direct route to get to where they need to be.
Pragmatism is a philosophical doctrine that holds that the formation of concepts, hypotheses and theories is a function of their usefulness to humanity’s various purposes. Its most prominent defenders are the ‘classical pragmatists’ Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914) and his Harvard colleague William James (1842-1910). Their pragmatist views were informed by and responded to the scientific revolution taking place around evolutionary theory, of which both were keen participants and observers. Other notable pragmatists include George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) and the African-American philosopher W.E.B Du Bois (1868-1963).
The notion of pragmatics, which is the study of language and meaning, is a key component to pragmatism. It deals with the way that meaning is constructed and focused on a more pragmatic approach to understanding what an individual really meant by an utterance. It examines how ambiguity, indexicality and conversational implicature play a role in the meaning potential of an utterance.
To a certain degree, pragmatism has lost its lustre since the death of its most prominent figure, John Dewey (1859-1952). But this is not to say that it has become an extinct philosophy; rather, as analytic philosophy gained momentum in anglo-american philosophy departments, a number of transitional or ‘third generation’ pragmatists, such as C.I Lewis (1883-1964) and Sidney Hook (1902-1989), emerged.
Pragmatism continues to hold appeal for people interested in a philosophy that is both constructive and anti-reductionist. As such, it is still a viable alternative to both analytic and Continental philosophy. Moreover, its broad philosophical framework has broader implications in the fields of ethics, epistemology and metaphysics. This makes it a useful philosophical ‘third option’ for the contemporary mind.