ABSTRACT
This chapter will begin by examining three fundamental Pragmatist ideas that, individually and in combination, provide a basic framework for Pragmatist interpretivism: inference, dialogue, and perspective. From the early work of Charles Sanders Peirce, Pragmatism has been concerned about how we draw inferences– not simply as logicians or statisticians, but as ordinary human beings. This concern led Peirce to develop a distinctive semiotic theory built around a triadic conception of ‘signs’ and the interpretive process. Pragmatist interpretive theory is about trying to understand how people (and social scientists) draw inferences in specific social contexts about the kind of situations they are in and about the intentions and motivations of others. Signs and symbols mediate these inferences and, consistent with the linguistic turn, Pragmatism is attentive to the way that language and discourse shape meaning. Indeed, communication and dialogue are at the root of Pragmatism’s understanding of society and the possibilities for human development and cooperation. Meaning emerges and develops through a recursive dialogic process. But communication is also a challenge due to the plurality of social perspectives. Building on William James’ argument about the selectivity of human attention, Pragmatism’s perspectivism stresses that inference and communication reflect particular points of view.
