Pragmatics and Semantics
A variety of contemporary philosophical theories of pragmatics concentrate on semantics. For example, Brandom focuses on linguistic meaning (albeit from a pragmatist perspective).
Others adopt a more holistic approach to pragmatics, such as relevance theory, which seeks to understand how an expression is perceived by the person listening. This method tends to overlook other elements of pragmatics, such as epistemic discussions about truth.
What is the definition of pragmatism?
Pragmatism is a philosophical perspective that offers a viable alternative to continental and analytic philosophy. It was developed by Charles Sanders Peirce, and expanded by his colleague and friend William James, and later developed by Josiah Royce. It had a profound influence on areas of inquiry from theology of philosophy to philosophy of science but also on ethics and politics, as well as the philosophy of language. The pragmatist tradition continues grow.
The core of classical pragmatism is the pragmatic maxim, which is a guideline to clarify the significance of hypotheses by investigating their 'practical consequences and their implications for specific situations. This gives rise to an epistemological view that is a kind of 'inquiry-based epistemology' and an anti-Cartesian explanation of the norms that govern inquiry. Early pragmatists were divided over whether pragmatism was a science-based philosophy that was based on the view that truth is a monism (following Peirce) or a broad alethic pluralitism (James & Dewey).
How to understand knowledge is the main concern for the pragmatists. Some pragmatists, such as Rorty tend to be skeptical of any notion of knowledge that is based on a foundation of 'immediate' experiences. Others, such as Peirce and James are skeptical of the correspondence theory of truth which holds that true beliefs are those that represent reality in a 'correct' way.
Pragmatism also examines the connection between reality, beliefs, and human rationality. It also focuses on the role of virtues and values, and the purpose and meaning of life. Pragmatists have also developed a wide range of theories and methods in areas such as semiotics philosophy of language, philosophy of religion, philosophy of science, ethics, and theology. Some, like Peirce or Royce are epistemological relativism, whereas others contend that this kind of relativism is not true. A renewed the interest in classical pragmatism in the latter half of the 20th century has led to a variety of new developments, such as a 'near-side' pragmatics that is concerned with resolution of ambiguity and vagueness as well as the use of proper names, indexicals, demonstratives, as well as anaphors, as well as a 'far-side pragmatics that examines the semantics of discourses.
What is the relationship between what is said and what is done?
Semantics and Pragmatics can be viewed as being at opposite ends of the continuum. On the close side, semantics is seen as a concept, whereas pragmatics is situated on the other side. Carston for instance claims that there are at least three general kinds of pragmatics in the present: those who view it as a philosophical concept along the lines of Grice or others who focus on its interaction with grammar; and those who are concerned with the interpretation of utterances. Near-side pragmatics encompasses issues like the resolution of ambiguity, the use of proper names, indexicals, demonstratives, anaphoras and presupposition. It is also believed to cover questions that require precise descriptions.
What is the relation between pragmatism and semantics?
Pragmatics is the study of meaning in the context of language. It is a branch of linguistics which studies the way that people use language to convey different meanings. It is often compared to semantics, which looks at the literal meaning of words within a sentence or larger chunk of speech.
The relationship between pragmatism and semantics is a complex one. The most important distinction is that pragmatics considers other factors than the literal meaning of words, such as the intended meaning and the context in which the utterance was said. www.pragmatickr.com gives a more naive understanding of the meaning behind an utterance. Semantics is also restricted to the relationship between words, while pragmatics is more concerned with the interlocutors' relationships (people who are in a conversation) and their contextual aspects.
In recent decades, neopragmatism has focused heavily on the philosophy of language and metaphilosophy. It has largely abandoned the value theories and metaphysics of classical pragmatism. However, a few neopragmatists are working to develop a metaethics based on the pragmatics of classical pragmatism and experience.
Classical pragmatics was first developed by Charles Sanders Peirce and William James. Both were influential thinkers who wrote numerous books. Their writings are still widely read today.
Although pragmatism can be a good alternative to the analytic and continental philosophical mainstream, it is not without its critics. Some philosophers, for example have said that deconstructionism isn't a truly new philosophical approach and that pragmatism simply represents an expression.
In addition to these critics the pragmatism of the past was challenged by scientific and technical developments. For instance, pragmatists struggled to reconcile their views on science with the evolution of evolutionary theory, which was developed by a non-pragmatist, Richard Dawkins.
Despite these challenges, pragmatic method continues to gain popularity around the world. It is a significant third alternative to the analytic and continental philosophical traditions and has numerous practical applications. It is a growing field of inquiry. Numerous schools of thought have developed and incorporated elements of pragmatism in their own philosophical frameworks. If you are looking to learn more about pragmatism, or applying it in your day-to-day life, there are plenty of sources available.