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Pragmatism George Santayana described Pragmatism this way, ? American pragmatism connects the American experimental and inventive attitude with older philosophical ideas? (Stumpf 397). Pragmatism first appeared in the late nineteenth century, but was only widely accepted after World War II. This philosophy assumed that life has a purpose and that rivals theories about man and the world have to be tested against this purpose. Pragmatism caught on in the United States because Americans were focused on results and achieving their goals (Troxell 1).
What is known as Pragmatism was a broad philosophical movement that affected the American way of thinking in logic and science, psychology and religion, and ethics and social behavior. In relating pragmatism to America, it is actually quite simple because pragmatism is all about an American way. The three most popular pragmatic philosophers are Peirce, James, and Dewey. Their common thread was that there?
must be a close connection between thinking and doing. ? All three of the most recognized pragmatic philosophers are from the New England area of America in fact. In addition any business leader, politician, or other social leader emphasizing their vision for the future is likely to be adherent to the philosophy of pragmatism (Joad 354). This is because these people are focusing on results and consequences, and they emphasize moral standards to help their achieving desired goals. In American education there is strong evidence such as the admirable goals and hopeful outcomes that are placed on future generations. There are also increasing high school graduation rates, expecting competency in challenging subject matter.
Charles Sanders Peirce is the founder of pragmatism. Peirce philosophized about logic and science. He worked with the theory of meaning and coined the term pragmatism. ? Pragma? is a Greek word meaning act or deed, named in order to emphasize the fact that words derive their meanings from acts of some sort (stumpf 399). ? Through thought, we try to fix our beliefs so that we shall have a guide for our action, ?
Peirce said. He was also an advocate of the scientific method. He said this requires not only a truth that a person believes but also how he arrived at this truth, and also requires that there be a certain degree of cooperation between the members of the scientific community. In correspondence with the scientific method Peirce believed that to?
do? you must have a? belief? that requires? thought? (Joad 341).
In addition, he believed that whether it is for devotion to Christianity or own personal consolation he should believe in a future life rather then base all beliefs on what science implies (Choron 286). William James studied pragmatism through psychology and religion. James thought originally about philosophy; ? The whole function of philosophy ought to be to find out what definite difference it will make to you and me, at definite instants in our life, if this world formula or that world formula be the true one. ?
In James? book The Varieties of Religious Experience he took a positive attitude toward religion yet opposed the idealist schools of speculative ideas (Choron 283). James was a very methodical man. ? Truth happens to an idea? was another theory of James? .
In order for an idea to be true an event must make it true. This theory goes against all traditional beliefs and was controversial, if it was accepted at all. James decided that there are two groups of philosophers; those which are optimistic who believe in religion and free will, and those who are empiricists which go by fact (Joad 324). John Dewey was the most famous pragmatic philosopher.
He theorized about ethics and social behavior. Dewey? s philosophy centered on the phrase? learning by doing. ?
Prior to Dewey most educators taught using rote learning methods, but Dewey emphasized thinking for yourself rather than memorizing other people? s ideas. His views of America had an impact on society that according to Sidorsky was, ? a monument to that period in American culture which made possible a confident, optimistic vision of the potential application of the methods of the sciences to the dominant traditions of philosophy and the major intuitions of society? (Choron 288) Dewey felt that his work, ? lays the foundation for a more effective structure for American social ideals? by providing a way to close the gap between scientific knowledge and other ways of knowing.
He also believed, ? Knowledge was an interaction of organism with environment in which the agent actively intervened to predict future experience and to control it. ? Which was evidence of his spectator versus experience philosophy. Dewey understood that former philosophers had assumed thoughts were true, when in reality thinking is not a search for the truth, but a static and external quality of things (stumpf 399). Pragmatism, devoid of objective moral standards, is a major philosophy guiding much of our nation. This romantic and unconventional philosophy demonstrated that meaning, ideas, and truths come from experiences and actions.
Before Peirce, James, and Dewey philosophy steered toward the same ideals that were supported centuries ago. Only pragmatism was able to enlighten the mind to think in a new way, not necessarily dismissing former ideas but building on them and introducing a fresh point of view; as simple as this may sound, it was revolutionary. Pragmatism was just the sort of thing a person might expect out of an American. Choron, Jacques. The Romance of Philosophy. New York: The Macmillan company, 1966.
Abelson, Rail A. The New Book of Knowledge. Danbury: Grolier Inc. , 1993. ? Philosophy?
Stumpf, Samuel Enoch. Philosophy: History and Problems. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1977 Twentieth Century Algo-American Philosophy. Dr. Troxell Available at: web Joad, C. E.
M. , Guide to Philosophy. New York, Dover Publications, Inc, 1957
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Research essay sample on Moral Standards Scientific Method
