Pragmatic is a philosophy of inquiry that focuses on the creation of knowledge with direct relevance to practical application. This is different from other philosophies that focus on metaphysical debates about the nature of truth and reality.
For example, pragmatists believe that people don’t always say what they mean. This is because language is inherently ambiguous and there are multiple meanings that can be derived from the same piece of speech. Pragmatics focuses on disambiguating this ambiguity so that we can understand what people are really trying to communicate. This includes things like knowing how to politely hedge a request, cleverly read between the lines and negotiate turn-taking norms in conversation. It also allows you to navigate ambiguity in context and enables you to avoid misinterpretation of social cues, which can lead to misunderstandings and strained relationships.
In addition, pragmatists are aware that action is a central element of human experience and that if we don’t know what someone means by a particular action, then we must engage in some form of interaction to determine the true intent. This can be done through verbal or nonverbal communication, and it is crucial to understanding pragmatics.
Another important aspect of pragmatism is that it allows you to compromise on truths instead of having to adhere to either an absolute positive or negative perspective. This is because pragmatists believe that not all truths are necessarily right or wrong, but rather that something can be both valid and useful.
One way that this can be applied is in the field of medical research. It is often debated whether or not the results of an experiment are a good representation of what happens in real life. This is why many researchers opt for explanatory trials that explore the effectiveness of an intervention in a controlled setting. But there are also pragmatic trials that are designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention in a broader routine clinical practice. These types of trials are often referred to as pragmatic because they are meant to be a reflection of what is actually going on in the world outside of a laboratory.
Pragmatic research is becoming increasingly popular with academics, as it helps them to produce relevant and meaningful findings. By focusing on what respondent experiences are and how they are connected to evolving organizational processes, it allows researchers to create knowledge that is directly applicable in the field. It also enables researchers to avoid the trap of limiting their research to a certain discipline and to be flexible in their investigative techniques.
For example, when conducting research on NGOs, pragmatism can help to surface complex themes that might be overlooked in formal documentation and rhetoric. In project example 1, this was achieved by combining interviews and participant observation with a deep engagement with staff at the implementation stage. This enabled us to uncover a range of evaluative practices that were taking place in the absence of formal recognition.