Pragmatism
a term used to designate those who follow the system of thought marked out by Professor William James of Harvard University. The central thesis of the philosophy is that objective truth can not be discovered by the intellect, but instead of worrying about discovering and disputing about matters that are no longer vital, the more useful task is to see what attitude will be most serviceable in solving the problems of today. A man reveals his philosophy by the way in which he works out the practical questions which every day confront him. The criterion then of the rightness of wrongness of a given theory of philosophy is the question how PRAGUE does it work. Is it a useful solution of the difficulties we face? Does it bring pleasure or pain? It is the answers to these questions that will determine the truth or falsity of the idea, not whether it can, in strict logic, be proved the truth.
Hence James and his school are credited with having served philosophy by saving it from dry-as-dust platitudes and once more bringing it to bear upon our active life and thought. Since James' death the logic of pragmatism has been developed by Professor John Dewey, formerly of the University of Chicago, now of Columbia University. It has its champions abroad as well as in America, and has created a popular interest in philosophy.