Pragmatism

Overview

Pragmatism holds that the meaning and truth of ideas lie in their practical consequences. Originating with Peirce, James, and Dewey, it treats knowledge not as a mirror of reality but as a tool for action. Inquiry is triggered by doubt, proceeds through abductive hypothesis generation, and is validated by its capacity to resolve problematic situations.

When to Use

• Evaluating competing theories or frameworks by their practical usefulness
• Designing action-oriented research (action research, design science)
• Justifying mixed-methods approaches on philosophical grounds
• When abstract theoretical debates need grounding in real-world outcomes

When NOT to Use

• When the goal is to establish objective truth independent of consequences
• When purely formal or logical analysis is required (use analytic philosophy)
• When the research demands strong ontological commitments about reality's nature