
This work offers a clear‑headed survey of pragmatism, tracing its growth from the ideas of early American thinkers to its dialogue with long‑standing idealist traditions. By laying out the central claim that truth is a “working idea” rather than a fixed doctrine, the author invites listeners to reconsider how concepts shape everyday life. The opening chapters also map the historical currents that have brought pragmatism into contemporary philosophical debates.
The author moves beyond a simple definition, comparing pragmatism with Anglo‑Hegelian rationalism, Neo‑Kantianism, and even Bergson’s dynamic philosophy. Each section highlights both the common ground and the tensions between these schools, showing how pragmatism can be seen as a response to, and a revision of, earlier idealist frameworks. The discussion remains rooted in concrete examples, making the abstract arguments feel relevant to modern concerns.
Written with scholarly rigor yet an accessible tone, the book serves anyone curious about the practical implications of philosophical ideas. Listeners will come away with a richer sense of how pragmatic thinking has shaped, and continues to influence, our cultural and intellectual landscape.
Language
en
Duration
~5 hours (296K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
London: Adam and Charles Black, 1913.
Credits
Chris Curnow and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2023-11-08
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
1863–1942
A Scottish-born philosopher and psychologist who built his career in North America, he wrote widely on ethics, idealism, and the study of mind. His work helped connect late 19th-century psychology with big questions in philosophy and religion.
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