Pragmatismu

Pragmatismu is a philosophical tradition that emphasizes the practical function of ideas and the role of experience in shaping meaning, truth, and inquiry. It originated in the United States in the late 19th century, with Charles Peirce introducing a pragmatic method that links thoughts to their observable consequences. William James later popularized pragmatism, stressing belief as a flexible tool for guiding action, while John Dewey applied pragmatic ideas to education, science, and democratic life.

Core ideas center on the practical consequences of belief, the idea that meaning arises from actionable outcomes, and the view that knowledge is fallible and continuously revised through inquiry. Truth is often characterized by what proves reliable in guiding further inquiry and solving problems, rather than by correspondence to a fixed absolute reality. This leads to an anti-dogmatic stance that treats theories as instruments for navigating experience.

Variants include classical pragmatism, associated with Peirce, James, and Dewey, and neopragmatism, represented by later thinkers such as W. V. Quine, Hilary Putnam, and Richard Rorty. Pragmatism has influenced numerous domains beyond philosophy, notably education, law, politics, and the philosophy of science, by promoting experimental methods, democratic deliberation, and a focus on consequences in evaluating theories and practices.

Critics have challenged pragmatismu for perceived relativism or vagueness about truth and criteria of success, though supporters argue that it offers a robust framework for addressing real-world problems without resorting to rigid absolutes.