What is Pragmatism?
People who are pragmatic prioritize actions and solutions which are likely to be successful in the real world. They don't get caught up with idealistic theories that may not be achievable in practice.
This article focuses on the three fundamental principles of pragmatic inquiry. It also provides two examples of projects that focus on the organizational processes in non-governmental organizations. It suggests that pragmatism is a an effective and valuable research method for studying these dynamic processes.
It's an attitude
Pragmatic thinking is a method to solving problems that considers practical outcomes and consequences. It places practical outcomes above feelings, beliefs and moral principles. This type of thinking however, can lead to ethical dilemmas when it is in conflict with moral values or moral principles. It can also overlook the longer-term consequences of decisions.
The United States developed a philosophy known as pragmatism in 1870. It is now a third alternative to analytic and continental philosophical traditions around the world. The pragmatists Charles Sanders Peirce and William James (1842-1910) were the first to define it. They defined the concept in a series of papers, and later promoted it through teaching and practice. Their students included Josiah Royce (1855-1916) and John Dewey (1859-1952).
Early pragmatists questioned foundational theories of reasoning, which held the validity of empirical evidence was based on the unquestioned beliefs of a set of people. Pragmatists, like Peirce or Rorty believed that theories are constantly revised