Pragmatism: Philosophical platform for mixed methods research

Abstract

The paper aims at presenting the philosophy of pragmatism as an epistemologicalframework for mixed methods research. The author starts with briefcharacteristics of this relatively recent approach to research in the social sciences anduses Morgan’s clarification of the genesis of „metaphysical“ paradigm for qualitativeresearch as a platform for analysing the main reasons why mixed methods researchhas been strongly criticized and refused. Then she shifts her attention to classicalpragmatists – W. James, J. Dewey and Ch. S. Pierce, and makes an attempt to showmixed methods research as a legitimate approach to research in the social scienceshaving equally important status as quantitative or qualitative research. In order to proveher point, the author gives a detailed analysis of the pragmatists’ theory of inquiry, theirunderstanding of truth, experience and other philosophical categories. She concludesthat mixed methods research has great potential to solve research questions whosesolution proves impossible for rigid advocates of either of the two currently dominantapproaches.

Keywords

• mixed methods research
• quantitative research
• qualitative research
• pragmatism
• paradigm
• epistemology