What is pragmatism?

Answer

Pragmatism is a philosophy that can be best summarized by the phrase “whatever works.” The core concept of pragmatism is that the truth of an idea is demonstrated by its effectiveness, meaning it achieves the expected or desired outcomes. However, pragmatism itself is found to be ineffective, leading to a need for a critical examination. It is important to note that pragmatism is distinct from utilitarianism, which specifically focuses on defining morality based on consequences, although they are closely linked.

Pragmatism is plagued by three significant shortcomings. Firstly, using pragmatism as a criterion for truth is evidently flawed—philosophically speaking, it is easily refuted and has faced widespread criticism for this reason. Secondly, pragmatism can result in erroneous conclusions due to the limitations of human knowledge, both in a physical and spiritual context. Thirdly, pragmatism not only lacks moral authority but actually undermines it.

The initial two flaws of pragmatism are closely intertwined. Logically, these flaws present immediate grounds to dismiss pragmatism, at least in its basic forms. Just because an idea, theory, or assertion yields satisfactory outcomes does not automatically make it true. For instance, we could inform a child that invisible gremlins inhabit the electrical outlets and will bite if touched. This approach “works” by preventing the child from touching the outlets. If the child does touch one and gets shocked, that outcome aligns with the invisible gremlin theory.

The issue, however, is that there are no invisible gremlins residing in the circuits. Despite the theory “working” by delivering the desired outcomes and even predicting results, the only reason the gremlin theory seems effective is due to the child’s limited understanding. It is valid to acknowledge that the gremlin concept “achieves results”;That’s a far cry from asserting the existence of gremlins—that the concept of gremlins is true.

This form of pragmatism represents the primary philosophical weakness of scientism: the assertion that empirical science, exclusively, can establish truth. Ultimately, this implies that whatever is deemed effective based on our current knowledge must be considered true, even if our knowledge is limited. At times, this limitation is intentional—scientism frequently disregards potentially non-scientific truths to safeguard itself.

The third, more perilous flaw in pragmatism pertains to ethics and morality. While most individuals readily acknowledge that pragmatism falls apart when applied to empirical matters, its collapse is not as apparent when it comes to morality. The primary reason for this is that determining “what works” becomes highly subjective when the results are influenced by morals rather than physical measurements. When applied to ethics and morality, pragmatism essentially equates to relativism with a less refined facade.

For example, the assertion “Africans are not human in the same way Europeans are” undeniably “worked” for the slave owners during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. However, it did not yield favorable results for the slaves themselves. Ultimately, a pragmatic approach to morality becomes a justification for one’s own moral inclinations at the expense of others.

Christians cannot adhere to both pragmatism and the Bible. The Scriptures indicate that truth is not determined by our experiences or opinions “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”, (Proverbs 14:12). In fact, the Bible teaches that our fallible perspective can lead us to errors “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”,(1 Corinthians 2:14). Particularly concerning moral issues, Christianity and pragmatism are entirely incompatible. Regardless of our preference for the outcome (Matthew 6:9-13), and whether or not we personally benefit (Philippians 2:3;2 Corinthians 12:8-9), right and wrong are defined in relation to God (Job 38:1-5;Romans 2:4). What “works” for us in our limited human minds, ultimately may not be what’s true or what “works” from an eternal perspective (Romans 8:17-19;Matthew 7:21-23).