Pragmatic is an approach to language that considers the social, cultural, and situational factors that influence meaning in context. This is in contrast to semantics, which focuses on literal meaning. Knowing pragmatics allows us to politely hedge a request, cleverly read between the lines, negotiate turn-taking norms in conversation, and navigate ambiguity in context.
In a broad sense, pragmatism provides an alternative to the traditional analytic and continental philosophical traditions. However, pragmatism itself is quite diverse, and there are many different ways to interpret and apply it. Whether a philosopher is working in philosophy of language, ethics, metaphysics, philosophy of science, philosophy of mathematics, or another area of the field, she or he is likely to be a pragmaticist in some sense.
The term pragmatist is generally used to refer to the philosophical movement initiated by Charles Sanders Peirce and William James. It presents a growing third alternative to the analytic and continental philosophical traditions worldwide. Peirce and James both published extensively on the subject, and their work was later developed by a group of scholars known as the Chicago School.
One of the most distinctive features of pragmatism is its a posteriori epistemology, which places more importance on experiences than on innate ideas or intuitions. This view is in direct contrast to the more familiar a priori epistemology of classical philosophy, which holds that some things are true in and of themselves.
A pragmatist is willing to compromise in order to achieve his or her goals, even if it means not getting everything he or she wanted. A pragmatist is also concerned with results and consequences, and is more likely to focus on the practicality of an idea than its theoretical or ethical implications.
Pragmatism can be found in all aspects of our daily lives, from how we greet others to how we communicate in a business meeting. Educators can help students develop pragmatic skills by exposing them to a wide variety of social contexts and by role-playing social scenarios. They can also encourage students to express their preferences and values in an appropriate way, and by encouraging them to share their own personal experiences and strategies. Regular communication and collaboration between teachers, administrators, support staff, family members, and individuals is important to promote consistency in supporting pragmatic skills across settings.