Philosophical discussions of knowledge, reality, and truth can appear to fall into the trap of debating words instead of the world we live in, especially if the language is technical or mathematical. As an engineer and logician, Charles Sanders Peirce felt that philosophy could easily end up like this. He believed that philosophical inquiry often falls into this trap, resulting in conceptions that aren’t practically useful. He, therefore, suggested a different approach, using the pragmatic maxim: “Think about the practical effects of the ideas you’re considering. If there is no effect you can see, you probably haven’t got a concept yet.” To understand the meaning of anything, we need to consider whether it makes any difference in practice. We should examine whether it helps us solve problems or answer questions – something that doesn’t have an immediate impact that we can perceive with our senses effectively has little meaning for the pragmatists. Pragmatism focuses less on the truth of a statement than its practical implications. Knowledge isn’t just made up of facts and certainties, but valid explanations that can be replaced or improved on when they become outmoded or useless.
Introduction
How do we really define Philosophy? The Greek word φιλοσοφία – Philosophia. Or as the term has been coined by modern Western language – Philosophy. The literal meaning of this word is relatively static. Derived from its Greek origin it comprises two separate words...
