And the tangible fact at the root of all our thought-
distinctions, however subtle, is that there is no one of them so
fine as to consist in anything but a possible difference of
practice. To attain perfect clearness in our thoughts of an object,
then, we need only consider what conceivable effects of a practical
kind the object may involve--what sensations we are to expect from
it, and what reactions we must prepare. Our conception of these
effects, whether immediate or remote, is then for us the whole of
our conception of the object, so far as that conception has positive
significance at all.
This is the principle of Peirce, the principle of pragmatism. It lay
entirely unnoticed by anyone for twenty years, until I, in an
address before Professor Howison's philosophical union at the
university of California, brought it forward again and made a
special application of it to religion. By that date (1898) the times
seemed ripe for its reception. The word 'pragmatism' spread, and at
present it fairly spots the pages of the philosophic journals. On
all hands we find the 'pragmatic movement' spoken of, sometimes with
respect, sometimes with contumely, seldom with clear understanding.
It is evident that the term applies itself conveniently to a number
of tendencies that hitherto have lacked a collective name, and that
it has 'come to stay.
Pages:
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53