Realistic Pragmatism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 5

Realistic Pragmatism - Essay Example Pragmatists have instead developed their argument on the notion that a thought acts as an instrument that can predict, solve problems or even act. In addition, they argue that most of the topics in philosophy like concepts, knowledge, meaning, belief, and nature of knowledge as well as science can only be seen in terms of their practical uses and successes instead of how they have been employed to stand for accuracy. As a philosophical movement, pragmatism started in America in the 1870s. The direction of this philosophy was mainly determined by various members of The Metaphysical Club like William James, Chauncey Wright, George Herbert Mead, as well as. This term was first employed in the fiscal year 1898 by William James who credited Pierce for coming up with the term. James considered Peirce’s work of 1877–8 dubbed "Illustrations of the Logic of Science" series as his main basis for his thoughts on pragmatism. Consequently, this made Peirce, in turn, to write in the fiscal year 1906 that Nicholas St. John Green had been instrumental. He greatly emphasized the significance of applying the definition of belief that Alexander Bain looked into. Bain’s argued that belief meant something that a man stands on when he is prepared to act. Peirce stated that this definition makes pragmatism to become scarcer than a corollary. Pierce saw that this definition made Bain be regarded as the grandfather of pragmatism. William James’s book, dubbed Pragmatism (1907), was able to gather together various lecturers that he had been teaching on the philosophy since the fiscal year 1898. The book was able to launch an interest in pragmatism. Furthermore, a lot of controversies has arisen on what the meaning of pragmatism is. Many critics of the early times saw James as the father of the philosophy.  Ã‚