Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking

William James propounded his theories of pragmatism in this book. He emphasized "radical empiricism" and the concept that the meaning of any idea - philosophical, political, social, or otherwise - only has validity in terms of its experiential and practical consequences. He wished to test competing systems of thought in the "marketplace of actual experience" to determine whether adopting a particular philosophical theory or way of looking at the world makes an actual difference in individual conduct or in how people perceive and react to the varieties of experience. Read more