Pragmatism

Pragmatism

The etymological history by pragmatism goes to the Greek word 'Pragma' which means 'activity' or 'work done'. It is also believed that the English word pragmatism originates from the Greek word 'Pragmatikos' which refers to 'practically' or 'utility.

            Pragmatism comes into existence as a rejection of Idealism and Naturalism. Pragmatism believes in experiment as the only criterion of Truth, it is also known as experimentalism or consequentialism. It does not believe in absolute Truth rather it believes in multiple truths which are in the process of making. Pragmatism regards Truth, Beauty, Reality, Goodness and Badness not absolute but relative to human experience. It is experiment that verifies all of the elements. Truth can be changed, so are other aspects. That is why the truth of today can be false tomorrow and vice versa.

            Pragmatism emphasizes the practical significance of thought. It regards action supreme and thoughts subordinate. The thought which cannot be acted out is a vacuum for pragmatism. Thought enlarges its scope and its usefulness by applying itself in practical issues. Since pragmatism regards thought as a tool to apply in practicality, it is called instrumentalism it is also called Humanism because it believes in human experience. It ignores the so called ideals of life. Pragmatism regards the truth as relative to human life. The things which work or which can verified as a truth. Human being is a biological or social organism who is master of his own destiny. Charles Sanders Peirce, William James and John Dewey have contributed for development of pragmatism.

Definitions

'Pragmatim i a temper of mind, an attitude, it is also a theory of the natue of ideas and truth, and finally it is a theory about reality.'                 - William James

'A belief of theory that the truth or value of a conception depends upon its practical bearing upon human interest.'                                        - CV Good

'Pragmatism is essentially a humanistic philosophy maintaining that man creates his own values in the course of activity that reality is still in the making and awaits its part of completion from the future, that to an unascertainable extent our trusts are manmade products.'              - JS Ross

Philosophical premises of Pragmatism

1.       Changing nature of truth

2.       Changing nature of values

3.       Emphasis on the principle of utility

4.       Reality still in the making

5.       Importance of activity

6.       Faith in pluralism

7.       Emphasis on human power

8.       Emphasis on experiment and inquiry

9.       Faith in flexibility

10.   Problems are the mother of truths

11.   Action is real, ideas are tools

12.   Opposition to irrelevant social customs and traditions

13.   Emphasis on social and democratic values

 

Pragmatism and Education

1.       Education as life

2.       Education as a social process:

3.       Education as growth and development

4.       Education as continuous reconstruction of experiences

5.       Philosophy is the theory of education

6.       Education as responsibility of state

7.       Importance of learners

8.       Democratic education

Aims of education

1.       Constant creation of new values

2.       All round development of an individual

3.       Development of social efficiency

4.       To cultivate dynamic and adaptable mind

5.       Creating decent environment

Curriculum

Pragmatism advocates following principles for constructing curriculum

1.       Principle of utility

2.       Principle of interest

3.       Principle of experience and activity

4.       Principle of integration

Educational process

1.       Learner centered

2.       Purposive process of learning

3.       Action or learning by doing

4.       Learning by experience

5.       Principle of integration

6.       Principle of project method

Roles of Teacher

1.       Help to produce new ideas

2.       Guides the learners for full use of their experiences

3.       Works as a member of students' group

4.       Assesses the capacities and needs of learners

5.       Respects the freedom of learners

6.       Plans education that demands the use of experience

7.       As a guide and an evaluator

8.       As a social motivator

9.       As indifferent in nature

10.   Intellectual and social personality

11.   Person of scientific tendency

12.   Creator of new ideas

13.   Planner of education

Roles of students

1.       To create values

2.       To reconstruct, recreate and reorganize the experiences

3.       To create favorable environment for teaching learning process

4.       To be co-operative, constructive, active and friendly with teacher

5.       To find the causes of problems and to attempt to solve them

6.       To contribute to make the society dynamic

7.       To help conduct teaching learning process in decent way