100 Years of Pragmatism: William James's Revolutionary Philosophy (American Philosophy)

william James Claimed That His Pragmatism: A New Name For Some Old Ways Of Thinking Would Prove Triumphant And Epoch-making. Today, After More Than 100 Years, How Is Pragmatism To Be Understood? What Has Been Its Cultural And Philosophical Impact? Is It A Crucial Resource For Current Problems And For Life And Thought In The Future? John J. Stuhr And The Distinguished Contributors To This Multidisciplinary Volume Address These Questions, Situating Them In Personal, Philosophical, Political, American, And Global Contexts. Engaging James In Original Ways, These 11 Essays Probe And Extend The Significance Of Pragmatism As They Focus On Four Major Overlapping Themes: Pragmatism And American Culture; Pragmatism As A Method Of Thinking And Settling Disagreements; Pragmatism As A Theory Of Truth; And Pragmatism As A Mood, Attitude, Or Temperament. Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 8 List of Abbreviations......Page 10 Introduction: 100 Years of Pragmatism......Page 14 1 James’s Pragmatism and American Culture, 1907–2007......Page 20 2 The Enemies of Pragmatism......Page 54 3 The Earth Must Resume Its Rights: A Jamesian Genealogy of Immaturity......Page 70 4 Pragmatism and Death: Method vs. Metaphor, Tragedy vs.the Will to Believe......Page 94 5 William James’s Pragmatism: A Distinctly Mixed Bag......Page 109 6 The Deconstruction of Traditional Philosophy in William James’s Pragmatism......Page 121 7 James on Truth and Solidarity: The Epistemology of Diversity and the Politics of Specificity......Page 137 8 Pragmatism, Nihilism, and Democracy: What Is Called Thinking at the End of Modernity?......Page 157 9 Active Tension......Page 186 10 Reflections on the Future of Pragmatism......Page 198 11 Looking toward Last Things: James’s Pragmatism beyond Its First Century......Page 207 List of Contributors......Page 222 Index......Page 226 Introduction: 100 years of pragmatism / John J. Stuhr James's pragmatism and American culture, 1907-2007 / James T. Kloppenberg The enemies of pragmatism / Mark Bauerlein The earth must resume its rights : a Jamesian genealogy of immaturity / Ross Posnock Pragmatism and death : method vs. metaphor, tragedy vs. the will to believe / William J. Gavin William James's pragmatism : a distinctly mixed bag / Bruce Wilshire The deconstruction of traditional philosophy in William James's pragmatism / Richard M. Gale James on truth and solidarity : the epistemology of diversity and the politics of specificity / José M. Medina Pragmatism, nihilism, and democracy : what is called thinking at the end of modernity? / James Livingston Active tension / Linda Simon Reflections on the future of pragmatism / Ruth Anna Putnam Looking toward last things : James's pragmatism beyond its first century / John J. Stuhr. Indiana University Press Contents 6 Acknowledgments 8 List of Abbreviations 10 Introduction: 100 Years of Pragmatism 14 1 James’s Pragmatism and American Culture, 1907–2007 20 2 The Enemies of Pragmatism 54 3 The Earth Must Resume Its Rights: A Jamesian Genealogy of Immaturity 70 4 Pragmatism and Death: Method vs. Metaphor, Tragedy vs.the Will to Believe 94 5 William James’s Pragmatism: A Distinctly Mixed Bag 109 6 The Deconstruction of Traditional Philosophy in William James’s Pragmatism 121 7 James on Truth and Solidarity: The Epistemology of Diversity and the Politics of Specificity 137 8 Pragmatism, Nihilism, and Democracy: What Is Called Thinking at the End of Modernity? 157 9 Active Tension 186 10 Reflections on the Future of Pragmatism 198 11 Looking toward Last Things: James’s Pragmatism beyond Its First Century 207 List of Contributors 222 Index 226 ISBN-13:,9780253353870 Annotation William James claimed that his Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking would prove triumphant and epoch-making. Today, after more than 100 years, how is pragmatism to be understood? What has been its cultural and philosophical impact? Is it a crucial resource for current problems and for life and thought in the future? John J. Stuhr and the distinguished contributors to this multidisciplinary volume address these questions, situating them in personal, philosophical, political, American, and global contexts. Engaging James in original ways, these 11 essays probe and extend the significance of pragmatism as they focus on four major, overlapping themes: pragmatism and American culture; pragmatism as a method of thinking and settling disagreements; pragmatism as theory of truth; and pragmatism as a mood, attitude, or temperament