Overview

Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition (originating in the US) that evaluates theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application. In epistemology, it links truth and justification to utility and action.

Core Idea

The core idea is that beliefs are guides to action. The meaning of a concept is the practical difference it makes. Truth is often defined as “what works” or “the end of inquiry.”

Formal Definition

Pragmatism is the view that the meaning of propositions lies in their practical consequences, and that truth is to be understood in terms of the utility of holding a belief or its success in guiding action.

Intuition

Imagine you are lost in the woods. You find a map.

  • Realist: “Is this map a perfect mirror of the terrain?”
  • Pragmatist: “Does this map help me get home?” If the map gets you home safely, a pragmatist might say it is “true” in the relevant sense, or at least that its value lies entirely in that function.

Examples

  • William James on God: James argued that if believing in God provides vital psychological benefits and works in one’s life, we are justified in believing it (The Will to Believe).
  • Scientific Theories: We accept quantum mechanics not because we can picture it, but because it works—it predicts results and builds technology.

Common Misconceptions

  • Misconception: Truth is whatever makes me feel good.
    • Correction: “What works” usually means what reliably predicts future experience and helps us navigate the world, not just wishful thinking.
  • Misconception: Pragmatists don’t care about facts.
    • Correction: They care deeply about facts, but they define facts in terms of their impact on experience.
  • Instrumentalism: The view that theories are just useful instruments, not descriptions of reality.
  • Fallibilism: Pragmatists are almost always fallibilists (knowledge is always open to revision).
  • Cash Value: William James’s metaphor for the practical payoff of an idea.

Applications

  • Law: Legal pragmatism focuses on the practical consequences of rulings rather than abstract principles.
  • Education: John Dewey’s pragmatism emphasized learning by doing and education for democratic citizenship.

Criticism and Limitations

  • Utility vs. Truth: A useful lie (e.g., “I am invincible”) might help you succeed, but it isn’t true. Pragmatism struggles to distinguish useful fictions from truth.
  • Short-term vs. Long-term: What “works” today might be disastrous tomorrow.

Further Reading

  • Pragmatism by William James
  • Logic: The Theory of Inquiry by John Dewey
  • Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature by Richard Rorty