Pragmatic is the study of language and how it works in our interactions. It is a specialized area of linguistics, which examines the relationship between natural languages and their users. It differs from the more general field of semantics, which is concerned with the meaning of individual words or sentences. Pragmatics also differs from syntax (word order) and semiotics (the study of symbols).
A pragmatist approach to philosophy seeks out to understand what people actually do with language, rather than attempting to determine its “correct” theoretical form. It is for this reason that pragmatism is often referred to as a philosophical method.
In addition to being a method of inquiry, pragmatism is a broad philosophical tradition that incorporates a variety of ideas and theories into its philosophic framework. This is due in large part to the fact that pragmatism has never had an official creed, or even a set of tenets which all pragmatist philosophers must agree upon. There are, however, a number of key concepts that have loomed large in the pragmatic philosophical tradition, such as:
There are some scholars who argue that pragmatism’s most important contribution to the philosophy is its ability to offer new and productive ways of thinking about many issues. These include the nature of knowledge, truth and values; the role of language in our social lives; the relationship between language and thought; the nature of the world and the place of human beings within it; and the relationships between humans and other animals.
As a result, pragmatism has made significant contributions to the philosophy of science, political philosophy, ethics, epistemology and aesthetics. It has influenced the development of liberatory ideas in such areas as feminism, ecology and Native American philosophy. It has also provided a foundation for the development of a range of different approaches to morality.
In the history of philosophy, pragmatism has had its ups and downs, but is now making its strongest gains outside of its traditional home in Anglo-American philosophy departments. In countries as diverse as South America, Scandinavia and central Europe, vibrant pragmatist networks have been developed.
To be a pragmatic philosopher is to be someone who is willing to consider the limits of any argument or position. This is particularly true of ethical and moral philosophy, where a pragmatic approach can be useful as a way to avoid dogmatism and a slavish attachment to the ideas of one’s youth or cultural group. For example, the idea that invisible gremlins live in electrical circuits may “work” for the child who believes this, but it will not work for an adult who realizes this belief is irrational. A pragmatic approach to morality can help us move beyond this irrationality and make better choices for ourselves.