Pragmatism

Paper Summary:

This paper is an in-depth examination of the pragmatic method used in philosophy. The author explains how pragmatism is a method used to evaluate philosophical problems by tracing the practical consequences of each question He indicates that its use has major implications for solving disputes, theory, and practice that may otherwise be interminable. Unlike most types of philosophy, the author explains, pragmatism is not based on theoretical notions of truth or falsity, and refuses to offer a method for discovering truth. The author shows how pragmatism has been regarded as a distinctively American philosophy which can trace its roots to Charles Sanders Peirce, John Dewey and William James.

Very extensive bibliography, but no footnotes or endnotes.

From the Paper:

"Although Peirce has been credited as being the originator of pragmatism, William James popularized the movement. James emphasized that pragmatism was a way of doing philosophy, a method of "settling metaphysical disputes that otherwise might beinterminable."
Is the world one or many? Fated or free? Material or spiritual? Disputes over such notions are unending. The pragmatic method in such cases is to try to interpret each notion by tracing its respective practical consequences. What difference would it practically make to anyone if his notion were true? James claimed pragmatism to be "anti-intellectualist." He believed rationalism to be pretentious, for pragmatism has no dogmas or doctrines, only method. James also coined the term "cash-value," a term that relates to the worthwhileness of a theory, meaning theories are only worth what they can be used for. He stated, "Theories thus become instruments, not answers to enigmas, in which we can rest. James also tackled the notion of truth, heretically claiming that truths are plastic and made, rather than discovered by using the rigorous methods of science. James' work predated our postmodern relinquishment of the notion of universal truth, handed down by higher authority."

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