Philosophical pragmatism is the only school of thought that originated in America, taking on distinct characteristics through the work of its three initial enunciators: Charles Peirce, William James, and John Dewey. This trio laid the foundations in the early 20th century, and were followed later by prominent American thinkers such as Richard Rorty and Willard Quine.
Pragmatism’s central tenet is that truth does not reside in the alignment of thought with reality (as suggested by the ancient philosophers) nor in consistency (defined as the logical coherence and non-contradiction prized in formal sciences like mathematics). Instead, pragmatism locates truth in what proves useful to people in their practical lives. Pragmatists are less concerned with truth in itself than with ideas that can be verified through broad experience.
For them, truth is what can be achieved and demonstrated in practice. Therefore, a claim’s validity is measured by its benefit to the greatest number of people, and reason reaches its highest purpose when it guides humanity toward practical usefulness.
Discerning truth
Peirce, James, and Dewey were not interested in mere contemplation or scrutinising statements to discern truths from falsehood. Rather, they concurred on orienting the mind toward action. For them, knowledge was a tool for productive action.
They stripped thought of its status as a means to probe ultimate principles, much like the early Chinese sages who wanted to know not where the world came from, but how the world works.
