Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of ThinkingJames, William
Philosophy
Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking
James, William
Pragmatism
The only way to get forward with our notion is to treat it
pragmatically. Granting the oneness to exist, what facts will be
different in consequence? What will the unity be known-as? The world is
one--yes, but HOW one? What is the practical value of the oneness for
US?
Asking such questions, we pass from the vague to the definite, from the
abstract to the concrete. Many distinct ways in which oneness predicated
of the universe might make a difference, come to view. I will note
successively the more obvious of these ways.
1. First, the world is at least ONE SUBJECT OF DISCOURSE. If its
manyness were so irremediable as to permit NO union whatever of it
parts, not even our minds could 'mean' the whole of it at once: the
would be like eyes trying to look in opposite directions. But in point
of fact we mean to cover the whole of it by our abstract term 'world' or
'universe,' which expressly intends that no part shall be left out. Such
unity of discourse carries obviously no farther monistic specifications.
A 'chaos,' once so named, has as much unity of discourse as a cosmos.
It is an odd fact that many monists consider a great victory scored for
their side when pluralists say 'the universe is many.' "'The universe'!"
they chuckle--"his speech bewrayeth him. He stands confessed of monism
out of his own mouth." Well, let things be one in that sense! You can
then fling such a word as universe at the whole collection of them, but
what matters it? It still remains to be ascertained whether they are one
in any other sense that is more valuable.
2. Are they, for example, CONTINUOUS? Can you pass from one to another,
keeping always in your one universe without any danger of falling out?
In other words, do the parts of our universe HANG together, instead of
being like detached grains of sand?
Even grains of sand hang together through the space in which they are
embedded, and if you can in any way move through such space, you can
pass continuously from number one of them to number two. Space and
time are thus vehicles of continuity, by which the world's parts hang
together. The practical difference to us, resultant from these forms of
union, is immense. Our whole motor life is based upon them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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