Pragmatic, from the Greek pragma, meaning “deed,” is a word that describes a person or a philosophy concerned more with practical application than abstract notions. Being pragmatic is often considered to be a virtue, as it encourages people to take a realistic view of problems and solutions and not place too much value on a utopian vision that may never be realized.
The philosophical discipline of pragmatics is concerned with the contextuality of various aspects of linguistic interpretation. For example, it looks at how the meaning of words and sentences varies according to the particular circumstances surrounding their use, such as ambiguity or indexicality, and how further significance can be worked out from this context-dependence. Other branches of pragmatics include speech act theory, and the theory of conversational implicature. Pragmatics is often seen as a third alternative to both analytic and Continental traditions of philosophy, although some self-described pragmatists have objected to certain tenets of neopragmatism, particularly Rorty’s blithe dismissal of truth as a topic best left unexplored (see Stern 2009).
A person who is pragmatic is considered sensible and grounded. For example, a pragmatic person would not expect to receive a unicorn for their birthday because they know that it is more likely that they will be given a horse. Being pragmatic also means that a person will be more willing to pursue a goal if it is useful, rather than just because it would be nice.
Some philosophers argue that pragmatics is not a proper branch of philosophy because it intrudes on the territory traditionally reserved for semantics, which is concerned with the nature of language as a system for conveying ideas. However, this is not universally accepted, and some philosophers, such as John Searle, believe that pragmatics does have a unique role to play.
In addition to its philosophical roots, pragmatics is also an important part of natural language processing and artificial intelligence. It is used to help computers understand human languages and better interpret the intentions of their users, which are difficult for machines to fully understand. Reference resolution, for example, is a vital component of computational pragmatics.
Another popular use of the word pragmatic is in relation to business and management. A company that tries to keep costs down while maintaining quality is being pragmatic in its approach. For this reason, many business leaders are pragmatic in their decision making, balancing the needs of both employees and customers. In this way, they can offer their employees a higher quality of life whilst still retaining profitability. Similarly, businesses that are able to operate efficiently and remain profitable in the face of economic uncertainty are being pragmatic by remaining open to new opportunities. By embracing change, companies can grow and prosper in a competitive marketplace. This type of pragmatism is becoming increasingly commonplace in today’s globalised world. It is also a key feature of corporate social responsibility. This type of pragmatism can be exemplified by organizations such as the Coca-Cola Company, which has made efforts to promote sustainable development in the communities it serves.