We explain what pragmatism is and the history of this philosophical current. Also, what are its main characteristics and representatives.
What is pragmatism?
Pragmatism is a philosophical current that links theory and practice. It emerged in the United States at the end of the 19th century, from the pragmatic maxim of Charles S. Peirce (1839-1914).
Peirce's pragmatic maxim is a logical maxim that functions as a regulating principle in the normative science of logic.. Its function is to guide thought towards the fulfillment of its purpose. This maxim also states that to conceive an object is to conceive its practical consequences.
Pragmatism, as a philosophical current, has shown a notable diversity of ideas and working methods. Although its origin is found in the works of Peirce, it encompasses different philosophical approaches that have enriched its field of study. In pragmatism you can find both metaphysical perspectives, such as those of William James or Ferdinand Schiller, and methodological approaches, such as those of Charles Peirce and John Dewey. This diversity has generated a constant need to clarify the specific context in which the term “pragmatism” is used.
pragmatism has been widely accepted in the United States since the late 19th century until the first half of the 20th century. During this period, pragmatist philosophers delved deeper into the concepts of meaning and truth, expanding on the ideas of earlier thinkers such as Aristotle and John Stuart Mill (British philosopher and creator of utilitarianism).
Origin of the term “pragmatism”
The word “pragmatism” comes from the Greek term pragma (πρᾶγμα). Pragma means “action” or “fact”. Hence the idea that the pragmatic is what tends to action. However, Peirce maintained that he thought of pragmatism in relation to the German term pragmatic. the word pragmatic It is difficult to translate, but it is related to the empirical.
The concept of pragmatism, due to its etymological origin and its evident relationship with the practical, reinforces the idea of the close link established between human behavior and those actions whose ends lead to the clarity of rational thought.
History of pragmatism
Charles S. PeirceAmerican philosopher, logician and scientist who lived between 1839 and 1914, He is considered the father of pragmatism.
Between 1871 and 1872, Peirce, together with the philosophers and mathematicians William James, Nicholas St. John Green, Joseph Warner, Chauncey Wright, and Oliver W. Holmes Jr., organized a series of meetings of the Cambridge Metaphysical Club. Starting from Alexander Bain's notion of “belief” (that from which a man is willing to act), they developed the idea of pragmatism.
In 1907, William James published the book Pragmatismwhere he explained the origin of the term. Until then, and since 1878, the only official pragmatic texts were the logic illustrationspublished by Peirce.
Both Peirce, James and the rest of the pragmatists recognized two important influences when it came to the formation of pragmatism.
- The British Empiricism of John Stuart Mill, Alexander Bain and John Venn. There, Bain's notion of experience, understood as a “rule or habit of action,” played a special role.
- The German philosophy of the time, Kantian regulative ideas (the ideas that guide understanding), the Hegelian conception of development (the idea of development from the notion of experience) and romantic idealism about reason as practical reason.
In addition, other factors and circumstances of the social situation of the time influenced pragmatism, such as the emergence of the scientific method, the theory of evolution, the emergence of a democratic North America, and the renewed strength of philosophical empiricism of the 19th century.
Characteristics of pragmatism
Pragmatism is a logical method that serves to clarify concepts. In his definition of the pragmatic method of 1878, Peirce maintained that it consisted of considering the effects, and their practical repercussions, that the object to be conceived could have. Only in this way, taking these effects into account, could we have a total conception of the object.
From Peirce's 1878 formulation, the first definitions of pragmatism appeared:
- An idea of any thing is the idea of its sensible effects.
- The meaning of a conception is determined by its practical consequences.
- The understanding of this meaning occurs through its practical effects.
Furthermore, other general characteristics of pragmatism stand out:
- He held the premise that the meaning of things is found in their practical consequences.
- It was based on the usefulness, practicality and proper functioning of the ideas as theoretical criteria.
- It had a wide reach in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries.
- He argued that thought should guide actions, establishing that to examine the veracity of a belief it is necessary to evaluate its practical consequences.
The pragmatic maxim
The pragmatic maxim or maxim of pragmatism is a logical maxim written by Peirce in 1878 as a normative recommendation or regulatory principle for logic. It fulfills the function of guiding thought to its task, along which path it must travel the distance in the most optimal way to achieve clarity.
Peirce maintains that the entire conception of any object is the conception of all conceivable practical effects. Peirce says in How to make our ideas clear:
It seems, then, that the rule for achieving the third degree of clarity in understanding is as follows: Let us consider what effects, which may conceivably have practical repercussions, we conceive the object of our conception to have. So our conception of those effects is the totality of our conception of the object.
Representatives of pragmatism
The main representatives of pragmatism were:
- Charles Pierce (1839-1914). He was an American thinker, scientist and mathematician. He made valuable contributions in areas such as logic, semiotics and pragmatic philosophy, and is considered one of the pioneers of pragmatism. In addition to his outstanding philosophical work, Pierce dedicated himself to university teaching and carried out research in various disciplines.
- William James (1842-1910). He was an American philosopher and psychologist, recognized as one of the precursors of pragmatism and functional psychology. He was noted for his pragmatic approach to philosophy, emphasizing the importance of experience and practical action. As a professor at Harvard University, he published works such as “Principles of Psychology” and “The Varieties of Religious Experience.”
- John Dewey (1859-1952). He was an American philosopher, psychologist and educator. Considered one of the main exponents of pragmatism, Dewey advocated a philosophy and pedagogy based on experience and action. He was a professor at the University of Chicago and Columbia University. He played a significant role in the development of progressive pedagogy, promoting an educational approach focused on active student participation and the practical application of knowledge.
References
- Morris, C. W. (1970). The pragmatic movement in American philosophy.
- James, W. (2020). “Pragmatism”. In Pragmatism (pp. 53-75). Routledge.
- Peirce, C.S., Cohen, M.R., & Dewey, J. (2017). “How to Make Our Ideas Clear.” In Chance, love, and logic (pp. 32-60). Routledge.
