Pragmatism evaluates ideas by their practical consequences. If a belief works, it is true. If it does not, it is false. That is the core claim of pragmatism, a distinctly American philosophy developed by Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, and John Dewey. Peirce introduced the term in the 1870s, arguing that the meaning of a concept lies in its practical effects. James popularized it, applying it to religion, psychology, and ethics. Dewey developed it into a philosophy of education, democracy, and social reform.

Pragmatism rejects the idea that truth is a fixed correspondence between belief and reality. Truth is what works, what helps us cope with experience, what enables us to act effectively. Critics argue that this is relativism in disguise, that it makes truth depend on what is useful rather than what is real. Defenders reply that pragmatism is not about what is useful for any purpose, but about what is warranted by inquiry. Pragmatism has influenced law, education, politics, and science. It is a philosophy of action, not contemplation. It asks not what is true in the abstract, but what difference a belief makes in practice.

Pragmatist themes

• Practical consequences. Meaning lies in effects.
• Truth as working. True beliefs are those that work.
• Inquiry. Knowledge is the outcome of problem-solving.
• Pluralism. There are many ways to cope with experience.

Pragmatism is not the same as opportunism. It is not about doing whatever works in the short term. It is about the long-run consequences of belief and action.