A pragmatist is someone who deals with situations sensibly and realistically. They are more interested in how an action or idea can improve people’s lives than what a theory may say about it. It is common for a pragmatist to believe in partial truths, and that is okay! For example, it is reasonable to believe that a person can be both good and bad. A pragmatist doesn’t shake their belief system when it proves to be wrong, but simply moves on to a new one.
Pragmatism was popularized by philosophers such as Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, and John Dewey. Their ideas originated in discussions at a so-called metaphysical club that took place in Harvard in the 1870s. They developed these views in publications from that time and throughout their careers.
The term ‘pragmatism’ was coined by James in 1898, but the philosophies that inspired it date back to the 19th century. In the first few decades of the 20th century, pragmatism enjoyed an intellectual resurgence in North America led by scholars such as Hilary Putnam. He argued that the key characteristics of pragmatism are rejection of skepticism, acceptance of fallibilism and the primacy of practice over theory (Putnam 1994).
Peirce criticized the prevailing individualist ontologies of his day, and he also wrote extensively about the importance of human community. Among his many valuable contributions, he outlined a concept called ‘power-with’ rather than power-over, which was a more democratic way of viewing relationships within institutions.
Royce and Peirce emphasized the role of communication in creating an environment in which human beings can flourish, and they advocated for the use of social rules to promote human interaction. They also emphasized the importance of non-verbal cues in human communication. For these reasons, pragmatism is often associated with a pragmatic approach to education.
Children can develop a pragmatic mindset by learning how to communicate and interact effectively with their peers. By teaching them to actively listen and take turns speaking in conversations, as well as to elicit and interpret non-verbal cues, children can learn the skills needed to navigate social interactions.
Additionally, a pragmatic child will value facts and evidence when evaluating ideas. They will be skeptical of strategies that are based on a theoretical ideal outcome, and they can voice this opinion to help others stay focused on what is feasible. This can be helpful for a team when brainstorming, but it is important that a pragmatic child doesn’t let their skepticism get in the way of fostering collaboration and creativity.