Who Founded Pragmatism?

American Philosopher #15 examines the founding of pragmatism as a philosophical movement. Most people claim that pragmatism was founded by the eccentric genius Charles S. Peirce, but James Campbell disputes this view. Joseph Margolis discusses conflicts among the early pragmatists. With Russell Goodman, Vincent Colapietro, Richard Bernstein, Doug Anderson and Richard Rorty.

[StephenCRose]

I think Peirce will at some point be credited with the founding of pragmatism and the reasoning behind his use of pragmaticism as a more apt description of what he actually thought. The minimizing of his importance here says more about the commentators than about Peirce.

[dtouey]

"That opportunist over there in England"....priceless.

[ericmiller]

Dewey himself included George Herbert Mead as one of the four "seminal" minds of American Pragmatism.

[americanphilosopher]

@Steven K: I'm working on another piece on Margolis for his 90th birthday celebration at Temple in May.

[ericmiller]

Some broader context may not change any of the "facts" about James's philosophical errors, but it will certainly make the shade thrown at him here a little bit lighter. This same William James has just finished (more or less) providing the foundations of modern Psychology, in The Principles of Psychology (1890). (At Harvard, it is not the Philosophy Dept's building, but the Psychology Dept's building, that is named "William James Hall".) Moreover, it could be argued that PoP is one of the foundational texts of American Pragmatism.

[TheDavid]

Maybe Josiah Royce should be mentioned more? He was intimate friends with James and he provided an Idealistic Pragmatism.

[ericmiller]

And, of course, that "special affinity" of current analytic philosophy for the Peircean flavor of Pragmatism also has concrete historical roots. Quine, unlike the boys from Vienna (including his teacher Carnap), is a huge fan of Peirce from his (Quine's) earliest days in the 1930s.

[stevekornegay]

I was looking for more from Margolis...

[DanaGarrett]

Excellent video. Thank you for it. It's hard to hear James described as "inept." I depended significantly on his Varieties of Religious Experience for a Master's thesis. :)

[FelippeMedeiros]

What a great Video... strangely no one talks about “pragmaticism”

[americanphilosopher]

@Ryan Jamieson Hmmm...a paradox? Thanks for watching.

[waltpaynter]

Dana Garrett mentioned he found it "hard to hear James described as "inept'". Well rest assured, Margolis is too kind to offer such s slight. In fact M said some of James' impulses were inept but James was too smart to not recognize some of their problems and made much effort to correct/improve them.

[MrPtrlix]

There indeed seems to be some kind of ineptness in James, at least some ineptness of following the analytic method of rigor. But what makes James the hero of the pragmatic tradition for me is the spirit in which he practised philosophy. This is the spirit that seeks out the truth due to significant out-of-the-classroom reasons, which are not as important for the analytic friendly Peirce style of pragmatism.

[sekoucoulibaly]

Find out what is true no matter the cost!

[haroldmcbroom]

*Pragmatism:* _an approach that assesses the truth of meaning of theories or beliefs in terms of the success of their practical application._
Can someone give me a clear definition of what *pragmatism* is? The above definition makes no sense whatsoever. The Nazi's had some degree of initial "success" in their "application" of politics, but is not to imply that their actions were practical or of moral intent. Man's "truth" is but a counterfeit reflection of his inward intentions, while REAL Truth is based on God's Love, and His Word which does not change with the seasons of man.