Essays in Pragmatism

By William James

Book Overview

This antiquarian volume contains Henry James's seminal philosophical treatise, 'Essays in Pragmatism'. The ideas outlined within this text underpin James's work, and are key to understanding the mind of this most important of philosophical thinkers. The volume will be of considerable use to the student of philosophy and those with a keen interest James's work, and it is a veritable must-have for collectors of important philosophical writings. The chapters of this book include: 'The Sentiment of Rationality', 'The Dilemma of Determinism', 'The Moral Philosopher and the Moral Life', 'The Will to Believe', 'Conclusions on Varieties of Religious Experience', 'What Pragmatism Means', 'Pragmatism's Conception of Truth', and more. William James (1842 - 1910) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and trained physician. He is hailed as one of the most influential philosophers the United States has ever produced. We are republishing this book now complete with a specially commissioned biography of the author.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1443721042
• ISBN13: 9781443721042
• Release Date: November 2008
• Publisher: Holloway Press
• Length: 310 Pages
• Weight: 1.19 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Rational Examination of Belief

I am about to teach, once again, a course in religion and psychology -- since I have degrees in both. I want to avoid reading, once more, the many extreme Christian examples of religious experience in William James's The Varieties of Religious Experience. Through various recent experiences, and teaching experiences, I know that the book is widely misunderstood, or parts are taken out of context. Looking over my bookshelves, I came across a very old copy of this book, _Essays in Pragmatism_. The introduction covers many of the points needed to explain the history and background of the extraordinary contribution of William James. As his relatively unsung contemporaries in the systematic examination of religion, I will add William E.B. DuBois The Souls of Black Folk (Enriched Classics Series) and Evelyn Underhill Practical Mysticism. Sigmund Freud is also roughly a contemporary of William James, and there may have been a reference to Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams in William James's _Varieties_. What is useful in Freud, though, is covered in his Five Lectures on Psycho-Analysis, where he details the Freudian defense mechanisms. This book has a nice balance of essays. I think the most important to the topic of religion and psychology is "The Will to Believe." Then, rather than do all of Varieties we will concentrate on understanding the last two chapters of it, which are included here. Most young readers of Varieties seem to get swept away by the early chapters, which validate religious experiences they have had, or have wondered about. In contrast, James's point came at the ending of his book, and involves the ability to rationally examine cases chosen precisely because they were extreme, not because they were Christian. Essays in Pragmatism contains in one book two important elements that help delineate James and his thought; the separate "Essay on Pragmatism" comes as a bonus for those who think they know what pragmatism means. In short, this book serves as a good introduction to William James's thought, to his way of looking at religion, and to his philosophy of pragmatism.

BLAH. MEEEH

Almost there...or was it my melancholic prof? James is an intellectual but the prof did some serious injustice to him. Too bad