The Meaning of Truth

By William James

Book Overview

Explore the nature of "The Meaning of Truth" with William James in this profound exploration of pragmatism and its implications for understanding reality. A cornerstone of 20th-century philosophy, this collection delves into the relationship between truth, experience, and practical consequences. James challenges conventional notions, arguing that the truth of an idea is ultimately determined by its usefulness and its capacity to guide us effectively through life.

Delving into metaphysics and epistemology, James grapples with fundamental questions about how we know what is real and how our beliefs shape our interactions with the world. This edition presents James's insightful arguments with clarity, inviting readers to reconsider their assumptions about the foundations of knowledge and the pursuit of truth. A vital read for anyone interested in philosophy and its ongoing relevance to our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1022990683
• ISBN13: 9781022990685
• Release Date: March 2025
• Publisher: Anson Street Press
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 0.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Intellectual Fun

In 1907 William James published a book of his recently delivered lectures called "Pragmatism" in which he detailed the links he found betwen the pragmatic frame of mind and the philosophical situation of his time. They caused a storm of controversy. Most particularly James's pragmatic musings on "truth" went down, with some, like a lead balloon. With "The Meaning of Truth" James meant to buttress his claims about truth and repel the barbs of his rationalistic enemies. The key essay in the book in many ways is the third "Humanism and Truth". "Humanism" is James's preferred name for pragmatism. Here James lays out his thesis on truth as being a matter of continuity of experience and of useful relations with things. James always resisted the notion, commonly ascribed to many so-called pragmatists and relativists, that they "make it all up". Here James suggests that experience as a control is no mere fancy. James claimed to be constrained in his theorising about truth and constrained by the world that is empirically there all around us.Read this book if you want a statement of James's position on truth or if you want pragmatist insights into the same topic. Or read it for plain intellectual fun. Its arguments are deceptively simple and particularly persuasive.

I'D RATE IT A 11 OUT OF 10!

This is a great book, I really recomend the reading. Talk about very important issues about men, woman and the society in general. Is very insteresting we undestand the live phases involving the person you are.