PRAGMATSM

Introduction

Pragmatism is a midway between naturalism and idealism. It criticizes the impersonal interpretation of existence as forwarded by naturalism, and rebels against the academic and orthodox absolutism of idealism. Pragmatism holds that whatever fulfils one’s purposes and develops his life is true. Only those theories are true which work in practical situations.  There are no absolute ideas. All ideas are relative to the situations in which they arise and they are subject to continuous verification by consequences. Experiences are of various nature and they are always changing. So no final, eternal valid system of ideas or values can be fixed up. There are no ideas or values which are any truths, they are man-made products. They are not divine and they are not eternal.

EXPONENTS OF PRAGMATISM

1.      C.B Pearce, 2. William James, 3 Schiller, 4. John Dewey.

DEFINITIONS OF PRAGMATISM

“Pragmatism offers us a theory of meaning, a theory of truth of knowledge and a theory of reality”. James B. Prett

“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 extend our truth are man-made products”. J.S.Ross

MEANING OF PRAGMATISM

Etymologically the word pragmatism is derived from the Greek word ‘pragma’ which means activity or the work done. Some other scholars think that the word pragmatism has been derived from the Greek word ‘pragmatikos’ which means practicability or utility. Thus, according to this ideology great importance is laid upon practicability and utility.  

MEANING OF EDUCATION ACCORDING TO PRAGMATISM

Education is not the preparation of a child for his future but it is life itself. Life is not possible without education. Life here means social life. It is because man is a social animal. His activities are directed and determined by the society by living there. So collective activities are organised in the school. Participation in the collective activities gives him knowledge of social efficiency and sociability.

CHARACTERISTIC OF PRAGMATIC EDUCATION

1.      Education as life

Traditional education is dead and lifeless. The students are passive recipients without any dynamism and push. Real knowledge can be gained by activity experiments and real life experiences.

2.      Education as growth

Society is undergoing a process of continual change. Education should correspond its activities to suit the changes in society. Education should develop the inherent capacities of the child according to his interests, inclinations and aptitudes, so that he can create his own values to face the problem.

3.      Education as continuous reconstruction of experiences

Bookish knowledge is condemned. Real knowledge is gained by experiments and experiences. They transform the behaviour and personality of the child.

4.      Education as social process

Education should develop desirable qualities that he is a sociable person. An individual gains more knowledge from his interaction with his friends, family and society rather than the books.

5.      Education as the responsibility of the state

Education is the birth right of the child. The state should shoulder the responsibility of the education of the child otherwise the whole nation will suffer and lag behind.

PRINCIPLES OF PRAGMATISM

1.      Truth is ever changing

Truth always changes according to time, place and situation. A certain thing which was true to a person yesterday need not be the same for him today or will remain the same tomorrow.

2.      Truth is formed by its result

Truth is not fixed and definite entity. The change in situations brings about new problems to be solved by new thoughts and new efforts. Truth is not absolute or predetermined for all times to come.

3.      Problems are the motives of truth

Human life is a laboratory where each individual undertakes various experiments to solve problems he confronts, in his growth and development. The success of the experiment is a search for truth.

4.      Emphasis on social and democratic value

Man is a social being. He is born in society and all his development takes place in society. Pragmatists uphold social and democratic attitudes and values.

5.      Opposition to fixed ideals and values

Ideals and values are not pre-determined and fixed. Values and ideals are man-made and they change according to changes in circumstances, times and places. It has an indifferent attitude towards moral and spiritual ideals and values.

6.      Emphasis on the principle of utility

Any idea which is useful to us is proper and right. In case, it is of no use it is improper, wrong and untrue.

7.      Importance of man power

Man has the power to create an environment useful, beneficial and conducive for his own development and welfare of society.

8.      Importance of present and future

Man is an active being. He learns through his activities in his life. Ideas are born out of activities.

9.      Faith in present and future

The past is dead and gone. Each individual has to solve the problems of his present and future.

10.  Opposition to social customs and traditions

Old customs, traditions, restrictions and taboos are denied. It believes in the realities of life, human intelligence and mental capacity which results in human welfare and happiness.

11.  Faith in pluralism

The ideals and values which are testified by experiences are true and real. It believes in pluralism.

12.  Reality in making

The attitude is optimistic, progressive and developing. To call the present world as fully made up, absolutely beautiful and complete is wrong. The world is still in the process of formation and development.

13.  Faith in flexibility

The world is changing and everything is under a process of change. Nothing is fixed and final in this world. He employs all his mental faculties, learns from his experience and experiments to the path of progress and development.

FORMS OF PRAGMATISM

1.      Humanistic pragmatism

According to this ideology, only those things or principles are true which satisfy the needs, requirements, aspirations and objectives of human beings and cater to the welfare of mankind. In other words, that which satisfies the human nature is only true and real. Humanist pragmatists believe “whatever fulfils my purpose, satisfies my desire develops my life is true.”

2.      Experimental pragmatism

According to this ideology, that thing or principle is true which can be verified as true by experiment. Hence according to experimental pragmatists, ‘whatever can be experimentally verified is true or what works is true’.

3.      Biological pragmatism

This form of Pragmatism considers the power or capacity of a human being valuable. This power enables a man to adjust in the society and with the environment. It also enables him to change his environment according to his needs and objectives. This form of pragmatism has its roots into Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection. According to it, there is always struggle for existence seen in the physical and social environment. Each organism tries to adjust with his environment according to his power and strength. In this process weak are decayed and only the fittest survive.

AIMS OF PRAMATIC EDUCATION

To pragmatism the aim of education is to provide dynamic direction and guidance to the child according to his natural interests, aptitudes and capacities in the field of academic activities that he grows up and develops more and more and is endowed with capacities to confront the ever changing problems and challenges of modern life successfully achieving a happier, a better and a richer life. For this education should develop such a dynamic flexible and adaptable mind which is always resourceful and enterprising and is able to create new values for an unknown future. Following are the some of the aim of pragmatism.

1.      To reform and reconstruct the society

2.      To enable the individual to adjust with the changing social environment

3.      To develop the child fully according to his interest, abilities and needs

4.      To create social efficacy in the child

5.      To develop democratic values and ideals in the child

6.      To provide educational opportunities to all citizens on equal footing

7.      To instil habit of experimentation in the children

8.      To remove social evils and make the society a good place for living

9.      To enable the child to discover the truth himself

10.  To make child self reliant

CURRICULUM

The curriculum must grow out of child’s interests, experiences, impulses and needs. The curriculum must be child-centred. Pragmatists stressed that school subjects should be woven around the child’s activities. Lesson should begin with social topics such as food, shelter, modes of communication, speech reading, drawing, and modelling.

1.      Ability and interest of the child

Child’s ability and his personal inclination should be kept in mind before constructing the curriculum and nothing imposed on him.

2.      Flexibility

Every society is dynamic. So curriculum should be constructed according to the changing need of the society. Vision is required for this purpose so that it may last long.

3.      Usefulness

Curriculum must have utility for a child. He should be taught only what is useful for him.

4.      Social efficiency

Curriculum must make a child socially efficient and democratic in his behaviour. It should enable the students to get fully adjusted in the society.

5.      Experimental

It should develop the habit of self experience and experimentation in the child. Different kinds of problematic situations are presented before him and he reaches the solution to these problems through activities and experimentation.

6.      Life related

Only those subjects should be included in the curriculum which have direct link to the lives of children. It will make them self reliant and a productive member of the society. Vocational subjects are preferred for this purpose. Subjects of social sciences and humanities are also taught but only after creating some harmony with the subjects of natural sciences.

7.      Principle of  integration

Curriculum deals with the integration of subjects and activities. The teaching of various units should be inter-linked and co-related to form right concept and proper understanding in children.

METHORDS OF TEACHING

Whatever is to be taught to a child must be correlated with the natural activities of the child.  For this purpose following methods are adapted:

1.      Learning by doing

Child learns the best when he performs some action along with the theoretical knowledge of a subject. Teacher guides the students for these activities by which child develops his own natural abilities.

2.      Collective approach

Children participate in these activities collectively. It develops in them social efficiency. They are assigned various types of jobs by the teacher and they complete them collectively.

3.      Integrated approach

A subject is taught only after integrating it with other subjects as well as life. In this way knowledge becomes compact, useful and systematic.

4.      Individual approach

Each child is unique and different from his fellow flock. Teacher should regard individual differences and teach a child according to his level of understanding and specific interest.

5.      Purposive process of learning

A child should try to achieve some aim or goal according to his natural interests, abilities and experiences. Self learning through self effort is acknowledged.

ROLE OF THE TEACHER

The teacher works as friend, philosopher and guide to the students

1.      He should have the capacity to know the interests of the students.

2.      He should understand the conditions and situation of changing society.

3.      He puts forth problems for the students to be solved according to their interests.

4.      He also creates situations to develop social interests, attitudes and habits for welfare of the society.

PRAGMATISTS VIEW OF SHCOOL

According to pragmatism, school is a laboratory for experiments to be done by children. The school is a social institution where child gains real experiences of actual life. It develops a social sense and duty towards society and nation. The school is a miniature society where a child gets real experiences to act and behave according to his interests, aptitudes and capacities.

DISCIPLINE

Pragmatism condemns enforced discipline. It advocates social discipline based on child’s interest, activities and a sense of responsibility. Self discipline is learnt by the students in the proper democratic and social environment of the school. They participate in collective activities and learn cooperation and control. Child is given full freedom to develop his natural abilities. Teacher does not consider himself superior to the child. He works in the class as a supervisor only. He also takes the individual difference among children into account.

The merging of play and work will develop interest in the child. It will enhance a sense of purpose to do the work with joy and eagerness without interfering others. This mental condition will develop self confidence, self reliance, cooperation, sympathy and fellow feeling for others. He will develop a social discipline and moral obligation towards self and others. It develops a social responsibility to become a true citizen of the country.

MERITS OF PRAGMATISM

1.      Construction of project method

A child, who indulges in various activities, is able to solve problems which cater to his natural progress and development.

2.      Importance of child

Child centred education where a great emphasis is laid in the development of the child’s individuality by his own efforts.

3.      Emphasis on activity

Pragmatism emphasizes upon activity rather than ideas. ‘Learning by doing’ is the method followed here.

4.      values in applied life

Education should prepare the child for the practice of values in life in an effective manner.

5.      Social and democratic education

It induces a spirit of freedom, initiative, equality and also a sense of responsibility in relation to rights and duties of a citizen. It develops a love for democratic values and social efficiency which brings harmonious adjustment and development of personality.

6.      Infusion of new life in education

It has revolutionized the process of education and infused a new life and zest in education. The concepts of New Education, Progressive Education and Activity Centred curriculum are the contributions of pragmatism. 

7.      Progressive and optimistic attitude

 Pragmatism is a way of living which opposes old doctrines of Idealism and Naturalism, inspires the individual to look ahead and create new values for a better and happier life. It develops a dynamic, flexible and adaptable mind which gives direction to new purpose to education. 

IMPACT OF PRAGMATISM ON MODERN EDUCATION

1.      Inculcation of democratic values and social responsibilities have been included in the aims of education today.

2.      Activity and self experience methods of teaching are very much recognized today.

3.      Special emphasis on vocational and professional courses

4.      Organization of co curricular activities in the school

5.      Updating of curriculum after every five years according to the changing needs of the society.

6.      Promotion of self discipline

7.      Respect for democratic values

8.      Promotion of free and compulsory education from 6 to 14.

9.      Proposes universalisation of elementary education.

CRITICISM OF PRAGMATISM

1.      Difficulties of not accepting truth to be permanent.

Pragmatist philosophy does not treat truth as permanent and objective. Instead for pragmatists all truth is relative to time and space. No philosophy is always true or correct. It has its utility only in a particular set of circumstances. And utility is the final criterion of truth. In actual practice pragmatic philosophy is fairly useful, but when its own principles are applied to its own theories, the latter also becomes relative to time and space and thus has only a limited utility. Hence the principle of pragmatism itself becomes only true because it does not accept truth as something permanent. Truth changeable with time and space may prove very dangerous for the society.

2.      Materialistic bias.

Pragmatism was born out of reaction to idealism, and consequently it manifests a distinctly materialistic bias, in contradiction of the spiritual bias of idealist philosophy. At the same time, pragmatists realize democratic ideals of freedom, equality and fraternity through education. But it is difficult to understand how this can be done unless they accept an idealistic basis of his system of education.

3.      Absence of any aim of education.

According to pragmatists, education is life itself and it is not possible to determine any objective for its continuous change in the pattern of living. This idea is also unbelievable. Changes do take place immediately but they take time. Specific aims of life must be there before the changes occur.

4.      Excessive emphasis upon individual difference.

Modern educational psychology accepts in principle that the curriculum of education must take into account the individual difference of children and that children must be educated according to their individual and unique interests and inclinations both in respect of curriculum and also of the method of teaching. While in theory this is quite acceptable any attempts to apply it in practice lead to immediate complications. It is completely impossible to provide a separate educational plan for every individual child in the school.

5.      Limitations of learning through doing.

There is no doubt that the child should learn by actually doing things. But the theory has its limitations too. Many facts known to an individual are acquired from another person. It is almost impossible for one individual to experience every fact known to him.

6.      Pragmatists want to improve the world by experimentation. They reject the experience of others and believed in self experience of man.

7.      Pragmatists reject the experience of others and believed in self experience of man. Pragmatists advocated full freedom for the child who may spoil his career because of his immaturity and lack of experience.