![]() Accordingly, there seem to be as many names for the movement as there are thinkers, which becomes most explicitly manifest in Peirce’s famous abandonment of the term “pragmatism” in favour of “pragmaticism.” The genealogy of pragmatism, however, has hardly ever been questioned. Top of pageġWhat pragmatism is, whether it refers to a philosophical method, a specific theory, cultural politics, a literary theory or a mixture of all of these, has been part of the controversy surrounding pragmatism from its very beginning. With the close relation of James and Whitehead in mind, the latter can be identified as the ‘missing link’ that bridges the gap between the so-called classical pragmatism and its more analytic versions as advanced by Quine, Lewis and Rescher. The fundamental concepts of an ontological theory must not be isolated from each other to allow for a cosmology which is both rational and satisfies the pragmatic test of applicability. Whitehead takes up this two-sided approach, but modifies the idea of genetic consistency into that of systematic coherence. James argues his case on three levels – a psychological, an epistemological and a pragmatic one – and develops a theory of truth that comprises an empirical and a rational dimension. ![]() New beliefs have to fit in the totality of all previously accepted convictions in order to become accepted as true. James advances a form of epistemic conservatism that supplements the pragmatic idea of a concept’s cash-value with the demand for internal consistency. A detailed analysis of the respective theories of truth and knowledge in James and Whitehead illustrates their common methodological approach and allows us to assess the role of Whiteheadian thinking within the pragmatist tradition. Hence, it is often overlooked that on the methodological level Whitehead is a pragmatist, whose much quoted indebtedness to William James is reflected in the project of his speculative metaphysics. The focus on the novelty of his process ontology, however, has led to a view that isolates him from the mainstream of the tradition of Western philosophy. I think he means them in more of a sense of "acceptable" or "justifiable" than "correct" in any absolute or pure sense.The significance of A. N. Whitehead’s contribution to 20th century metaphysics has become widely recognized. and his writing is coherent considering a standard reading of the " expedient" as the "quality of being convenient and practical (despite possibly being improper or immoral)"Ĭonsidering this definition of expedient, note that James uses right and good interchangeably. Works satisfactorily in the widest sense of the word, then it is Of the mystical: "On pragmatic principles, if the hypothesis of God Processes must lead to the face of directly verifying sensibleĮxperiences somewhere." He also extended his pragmatic theory wellīeyond the scope of scientific verifiability, and even into the realm Together," or coheres, fits as pieces of a puzzle might fit together,Īnd these are in turn verified by the observed results of theĪpplication of an idea to actual practice. ![]() Truth is verifiable to the extent that thoughtsĪnd statements correspond with actual things, as well as "hangs Of correspondence theory of truth and coherence theory of truth, withĪn added dimension. Of our thinking, just as 'the right' is only the expedient in the wayīy this, James meant that truth is a quality the value of which isĬonfirmed by its effectiveness when applying concepts to actual 'The true,' to put it very briefly, is only the expedient in the way and the original from " Pragmatism" ( 1907 - see page 222) Have found so silly a personage as I must have seemed in their eyes, My only wonder now is that critics should That my hearers would let go of it and the very last accusation IĮxpected was that in speaking of ideas and their satisfactions, I wasĭenying realities outside. My mind was soįilled with the notion of objective reference that I never dreamed Its agreement with the rest of acknowledged truth, I apprehended noĮxclusively subjectivistic reading of my meaning. ![]() Insisted that the chief part of the expediency of any one opinion is Previously written that truth means 'agreement with reality,' and Much as the good is the expedient in the way of our behavior! Having In the long run the true is the expedient in the way of our thinking, That I was treating of cognition solely on its subjective side) that My having happened to write (without supposing it necessary to explain This subjectivist interpretation of our position seems to follow from From William James' " The Meaning of Truth: A Sequel to 'Pragmatism'" ( 1909 - page 104, boldface and italics my own):
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