Pragmatic philosophy and its role in forming of secularism...a critical study

Fo’ad Saleh al-Shahmani

Summary
The study discusses the impact of pragmatic philosophy on secularism in terms of principles and results. Pragmatic philosophy, which thinks that correct and true idea is that which gives practical results according to empirical foundations, has gone to extremes by adopting the experimental method that is based on the discovering of material phenomena, as it has tried to exclude the metaphysical knowledge from ordinary life, and make individuals as the center and measure of everything in life. Secularism has come to existence in order to exclude religion and keep it away from social life. Studies show, with no doubt, that pragmatism has had a clear impact on secularism. Therefore, secularism, as does pragmatism, tries to focus on practical experience regarding it as man’s most important tool, neglecting the other cognitive dimensions that have a dynamic role in shaping man’s intellectual movement. In this article, we have tried to criticize the most important principles advocated by pragmatic philosophy and their influence on secularism. We have mentioned this influence in terms of principles such as humanism and utilitarianism, which had a big role in secularism, and then discussed the necessities resulting from adopting those principles and the extent of their impact on secularism, mentioning, in this concern, individualism and relativity.

Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)