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
More simple and massive than are usually the men of whom the terms are
predicated. For every sort of permutation and combination is possible in
human nature; and if I now proceed to define more fully what I have in
mind when I speak of rationalists and empiricists, by adding to each
of those titles some secondary qualifying characteristics, I beg you to
regard my conduct as to a certain extent arbitrary. I select types
of combination that nature offers very frequently, but by no means
uniformly, and I select them solely for their convenience in helping
me to my ulterior purpose of characterizing pragmatism. Historically we
find the terms 'intellectualism' and 'sensationalism' used as synonyms
of 'rationalism' and 'empiricism.' Well, nature seems to combine most
frequently with intellectualism an idealistic and optimistic tendency.
Empiricists on the other hand are not uncommonly materialistic, and
their optimism is apt to be decidedly conditional and tremulous.
Rationalism is always monistic. It starts from wholes and universals,
and makes much of the unity of things. Empiricism starts from the parts,
and makes of the whole a collection-is not averse therefore to calling
itself pluralistic. Rationalism usually considers itself more religious
than empiricism, but there is much to say about this claim, so I merely
mention it. It is a true claim when the individual rationalist is what
is called a man of feeling, and when the individual empiricist prides
himself on being hard-headed. In that case the rationalist will usually
also be in favor of what is called free-will, and the empiricist will
be a fatalist--I use the terms most popularly current. The rationalist
finally will be of dogmatic temper in his affirmations, while the
empiricist may be more sceptical and open to discussion.
I will write these traits down in two columns. I think you will
practically recognize the two types of mental make-up that I mean if
I head the columns by the titles 'tender-minded' and 'tough-minded'
respectively.
THE TENDER-MINDED
Rationalistic (going by 'principles'), Intellectualistic, Idealistic,
Optimistic, Religious, Free-willist, Monistic, Dogmatical.
THE TOUGH-MINDED
Empiricist (going by 'facts'), Sensationalistic, Materialistic,
Pessimistic, Irreligious, Fatalistic, Pluralistic, Sceptical.
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