The influence of pragmatism on functional social work

Abstract

The heart of any profession consists of a philosophically-oriented statement of purpose and perspective. This study examines the influence of pragmatism on function social work. This study traces the origins and development of the concept of function and its impact on the social work profession.;The research found that the intellectual roots of functionalism can be traced back to pragmatism. Pragmatism provided the philosophical underpinnings of the functional approach to social work while Jessie Taft's collaboration with Otto Rank provided the aesthetic component. In each instance, the parallels in the works between the pragmatists and Otto Rank have been explicated to demonstrate the connection with functional social work.;It is useful for the social work profession to have awareness and appreciation, not only of the philosophical and theoretical foundations upon which it is practiced, but also on the application of knowledge to practice. As the profession revisits its philosophical roots and sees the need to build its own knowledge base on a firm foundation, the functional approach can help sustain that goal and ensure that the historical mission of the profession is maintained.