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Pragmatism
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What is Pragmatism?

Pragmatism is a philosophical tradition that evaluates ideas, beliefs, and theories by their practical consequences and real-world usefulness rather than their correspondence to abstract absolutes. It appears most often in courses covering philosophy, ethics, education theory, and American intellectual history, where its distinctly American origins make it a recurring point of analysis. Students are drawn to the topic because it bridges abstract reasoning and lived experience, raising productive questions about how individuals and societies form beliefs, make decisions, and develop values. Its emphasis on the relationship between mind, nature, and action gives it wide applicability across disciplines.

The papers archived on this topic reflect a broad range of approaches. Comparative essays examine pragmatism alongside other traditions, such as contrasting the theories of David Hume and William James, or placing pragmatism within the wider landscape of analytic philosophy. Historical treatments trace how pragmatism shaped American education and the development of scientific method. Applied angles connect pragmatist thinking to ethics, personal philosophy, public leadership, and even classroom practice with ESL students. Some papers focus on individual thinkers like George Herbert Mead, using their frameworks to ground broader arguments about the self and society.

A strong essay on pragmatism needs a focused thesis that moves beyond simple definition and commits to a specific claim — about its strengths, limitations, or application to a particular context. Evidence drawn from philosophical argument, historical development, or concrete case analysis all carry weight, depending on the approach. The most common pitfall is treating pragmatism as a vague synonym for practicality; a convincing essay engages its actual philosophical content, including how it understands truth, experience, and the role of the individual within society.

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Research Paper Doctorate

George Herbert Mead's social psychology and theory of consciousness

George Herbert Mead is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures of American sociology. His pioneering work in social psychology helped to establish the reputation the Chicago School of Sociology.

Research Paper Doctorate

George Herbert Mead's theory of self and social interaction

George Herbert Mead is one of the pioneers of American philosophy as well as among the founders of Pragmatism. His work was published in several papers during his lifetime and even after his death.

Paper Undergraduate

Leadership philosophy and event coordination as professional practice

This is a series of three short essays on leadership. It discusses how the author wishes to expand his or her leadership potential; how the author has shown leadership in the past and defines leadership; and explains how he or she shows leadership within the context of his or her current workforce. The essays are for a leadership-based undergraduate scholarship in business.

Research Paper Doctorate

Descartes' meditations on thought and human existence

"I have never written about the infinite except to submit myself to it, and not to determine what it is or not..."

Paper Undergraduate

Ethical responsibilities of Robbins & Robbins in contaminated medication recall

This paper tackles ethical decision-making in 3 scenarios. The first is the discovery of the inclusion of plastic explosives in some medications manufactured and distributed by Robbins & Robbins through Casings, Inc. The second concerns the right of a Canadian whose son died from a medication manufactured by Robbins & Robbins to sue under the principle of sovereign immunity. And the third are the options open to McFadden, Inc. against FDA's declaratory ruling on tracking bars and what the New York State government's Administrative Procedures Act provides in its case.

Research Paper Undergraduate

Educational philosophies of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. DuBois

Education is one of the fundamental bases of society. Public colleges have represented a strong issue for years. The conditions of work were one of the aspects under debate, but the philosophy that should guide the…

Thesis Undergraduate

Bureaucratic versus democratic leadership models in modern organizations

Max Weber was correct that in modern society, the power of the bureaucracy increased exponentially with urbanization and industrialization, particularly when it was called upon to deal increasingly with social and economic problems. Such organizations were hardly designed to enable others to act within a democratic or participatory system, but to act on their behalf and direct them from above in a very hierarchical system. For example, during the Progressive Era and New Deal in the United States, the civil service was expanded to regulate capitalism in a variety of ways, to administer large parts of the economy and the growing social welfare state. Of course, with the growth in the power and influence of the civil service, opportunities for bribery, corruption, authoritarian behavior and catering to special interests instead of the public interest became far more common as well.

Research Paper Undergraduate

Rastafarianism as resistance and identity for marginalized communities

The Rastafarian Movement started as a religion in the 1930s in Jamaica and the spread of the Reggae music in the 1070s transformed it into a political manifest as well as a social movement among those who were…

Paper Undergraduate

Racial disparities in US sentencing and mandatory minimum laws

Ultimately, sentencing disparity is rooted in a combination of how laws are authored and how they are enforced. Such is to say that the approach to sentencing in the United States is not itself racially biased.

Essay Doctorate

Insider trading, wealth concentration, and power abuse in global financial markets

According to information compiled by the SEC, a total of 58 insider trading actions were brought against 131 individuals and entities in 2012, and during the last three years the SEC filed more insider trading actions – a total of 168 – than in any three-year period in the agency’s history (2013). As the SEC states on the organization’s website, “these insider trading actions were filed against nearly 400 individuals and entities with illicit profits or losses avoided totaling approximately $600 million … (and) many involved financial professionals, hedge fund managers, corporate insiders, and attorneys who unlawfully traded on material non-public information, undermining the level playing field that is fundamental to the integrity and fair functioning of the capital markets” (2013). In nearly every case of insider trading listed on the SEC website, those accused are high-ranking officials and corporate executives who hold prominent positions providing them with affluence beyond the reach of nearly all Americans. However, despite holding enough wealth to live comfortably and ensure that future generations of their family could do the same, those accused of insider trading by the SEC invariably succumbed to a combination of greed and hubris, as they sought to manipulate the system in such a way that financial risk was removed from their investment transactions. While ordinary Americans struggled to weather the economic storm of last half decade, the corporate class continued to accumulate wealth at a staggering rate, largely through undocumented cases of insider trading and similarly unethical conduct.

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