Traditionally, pragmatism is a practical approach to problems and decisions that focuses on real-world conditions. Pragmatists prioritize practical value. In William James’ version, beliefs matter by their “cash value” in life. They matter based on the real difference they make in one’s life.
In TST, pragmatism is different. It is used to calibrate your worldview system: how you evaluate claims, manage uncertainty, and decide what deserves to guide action. Pragmatism is used at the worldview level to identify your overall pragmatic lens — how you generally look at life. And it is used to sharpen your worldview lens on a per topic basis, especially within critical thinking.
Your worldview is your lens of the world. Pragmatism is used to calibrate that lens. Your identity is your lens looking at the self.
We are all pragmatic and TST identifies three broad types: Empirical, Rational, and Irrational. In empirical pragmatic mode, a person tries to hold only empirical and rational claims as true, irrational claims are held as false. For example, an empirical pragmatist might remain an explorative agnostic about string theory. They find the idea fascinating and worth following, but don’t treat it as true.
In rational pragmatic mode, you hold some defined personal irrational-category beliefs, especially family religion and a few adopted claims. A rational pragmatist generally accepts public truth but reserves a place in their life for their personal beliefs and exploration.
The irrational pragmatist is different. They tend to override public truth. This is relativism. They tend to say things like, “Truth isn’t truth”, or “There’s no such thing as truth.” In irrational pragmatic mode, unverified or even disproven beliefs are allowed to guide life because they are useful, comforting, or identity-forming.
