Pragmatic is a word used to describe a person who focuses on what works, rather than what could be or should be. Being pragmatic means focusing on what matters in life, such as making a living, having healthy relationships and being successful in a career or business. Pragmatic people are also good at identifying the needs of others and taking actions to meet those needs. This practical approach to life can be beneficial in the workplace, especially when working with a diverse group of patients or employees.
The philosophy of pragmatism has evolved over time. It started out as a metaphysical movement in the early 1870s, among members of “The Metaphysical Club.” This informal group of Harvard graduates included proto-positivist Chauncey Wright (1830-1875), U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes (1841-1935) and two future self-conscious pragmatists: Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914), a logician, mathematician, and scientist, and William James (1842-1910), a psychologist and moralist armed with a medical degree.
James argued that something is only true in so far as it works. He applied this principle to religion, concluding that religious beliefs may be true as long as they help people cope with their lives and find meaning. However, he left open the possibility that higher-level metaphysical claims of religions might be true, as well.
Dewey emerged as a major figure in the classical pragmatist pantheon, and his wide-ranging writings had considerable impact on American intellectual life for a half-century. But after he died in 1952, pragmatism lost much of its momentum. It would take another century before the philosophical community regained a sense of its relevance.
In the 1990s, a number of scholars sought to revive the legacy of pragmatism. They rediscovered James’s work, studied the writings of Dewey and Peirce, and considered the contributions of other important figures, such as C. I. Lewis and Sidney Hook.
By the mid-2000s, a number of academic journals began publishing articles on pragmatism. Several books were published, including one by Hilary Putnam in which he made ambitious claims for the prospects of a pragmatist enlightenment.
More recently, the philosophy of pragmatism has been embraced by many health care professionals and researchers. Pragmatism’s emphasis on results and consequences has been especially valuable in advancing the field of patient-centered outcomes research (POR), which seeks to measure how well healthcare delivery is meeting the needs of patients. For example, POR methods encourage collaboration between patients and providers to set priorities and evaluate the success of a treatment plan.
In a similar vein, pragmatic language skills are essential to fostering a positive communication environment. Strong pragmatic language skills enable individuals to engage in reciprocal conversations, communicate their thoughts and feelings clearly, and empathize with others. This can be extremely beneficial in educational settings, where students can use pragmatics to develop and participate in class discussions, collaborate with peers and colleagues, and understand the emotions and perspectives of other individuals.