Problem Solving and Pragmatism

The entire pragmatist tradition is a response to the growing number of problems that arose from the Universalist framework that is a common characteristic of many philosophers in all eras. Simply put, the Universalist tradition is concerned in the quest of discovering the universal concepts. These universal concepts are expected to answer all of man’s questions and inquiry (Ramber 2007). Take for example the belief or knowledge of the existence of a Superior Being. Accepting this knowledge will provide answers to different sets of questions.

The question on how the earth was made for example and the existence of life after death will be answered with this kind of Universalist framework. As a response, pragmatists such as Rorty resort to a kind of open ended way of solving problem. Rather than positing universal frameworks that are assumed to be true at any given time, pragmatists forwarded a framework that will accept whatever solution, method or system of beliefs that can be able to forward the interests of the community of its believers.

Universal concepts that are all encompassing are discouraged and were believed to limit the growth of the discipline or even the human kind (Grippe 2006). Take for example, pseudo-scientific or pseudo-medical healing, in a pragmatist framework, this kind of methods of curing of healing the sick is encouraged as long as it can bring cure to its patients. For Rorty and the pragmatists, as long as an idea or system of belief is to be found to possess positive practical consequences, it is encouraged.

The highest good for the pragmatist such as Rorty is not the unveiling or the disclosure of the universal truths but rather the discovery and the pursuit of the ideas and methods that are able to serve its believers. References Grippe, Edward (2006) Richard Rorty (1931-2007) Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web. Accessed 12 May 2010. Retrieved from [http://www. iep. utm. edu/rorty/] Ramber, Bjorn (2007) Richard Rorty. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web. Accessed 12 May 2010. Retrieved from [http://plato. stanford. edu/entries/rorty/]

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