Narrative as Ethical Praxis: Analyzing the Function of Narrative in Fostering Social Cohesion and Self-Creation within Richard Rorty’s Pragmatism

This study investigates the foundational status of the concept of "narrative" within the intellectual framework of the neo-pragmatist philosopher Richard Rorty and its applicability to contemporary global challenges.The central research question is: How does narrative in Rorty’s thought constitute an ethical praxis,and what function does it serve in cultivating social solidarity and shaping individual identity, particularly within the complex milieu of the digital age and multicultural societies? Employing an analytical-descriptive methodology and drawing upon Rorty’s primary texts,extensive contemporary international scholarship(post-2010),and an analysis of cultural-media data,the findings indicate that narrative in Rorty’s intellectual constellation fulfills three fundamental and interrelated roles:first,as a substitute for metaphysical theories in explaining the world;second,as the basis for social solidarity founded on moral imagination and empathy, which can be re-evaluated in confronting challenges such as political polarization and disinformation;and third,as an instrument for self-creation in a radically contingent world, now manifesting in forms such as digital storytelling on social media. Within this framework,ethics is achieved not through an appeal to universal principles but through encounter with the narratives of others and the expansion of the circle of we.Rorty’s ideal liberal society is one in which free, interminable,and polyphonic narrative dialogue supplants the quest for absolute truth.The article concludes that narrative,in Rorty’s thought,constitutes the cornerstone of a radical pragmatism which, by critically engaging with contemporary political philosophy and novel communicative realities, remains a vital source of inspiration for mitigating social fragmentation and reinforcing pluralistic tolerance.