Classical Pragmatism, Particularly The Work of John Dewey, has been foundational to the development of design as a discipline, although rarely directly acknowledged within the literature on design (Dixon 6–7). Recognizing the ways in which the dominant design paradigm reproduces coloniality and modernity (Akama et al. 60–62), I argue that going back to design's roots in pragmatism can aid in building a more embodied, situated, and pluralistic design practice. In an attempt to counter the epistemic and ontological injustices perpetuated by design, I support the effort of redesigning design by drawing on pragmatist thinking to present alternative design practices aimed at building reflexivity. In doing so, I bring forward demonstrations of how design practice might act as “engaged philosophy,” practically addressing issues in their social context (Hamington and Bardwell-Jones 1–6), with the aim of supporting intentional adaptation within a pluralistic, democratic society.
Before I...
