In six pages this paper contrasts and compares James and Dewey's views on pragmatism. Six sources are cited in the bibliography.
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political landscape until 1776, and certainly didnt register as serious members of the school of philosophy until the dawn of the twentieth century. Just as America would soon take
the lead in other areas, its fledgling philosophers were not merely content with studying the classics. They were interested in creating a branch of philosophy which was more applicable
to the modern world. Thus, the school of pragmatic philosophy was born. Pragmatism was originally developed in the late-nineteenth century by American-born Charles Sanders Peirce, a follower of
G.W.F. Hegels principles of logic (Titus and Smith 456). As conceived by Peirce, pragmatism "emphasizes experience, experimental inquiry, and the truth as that which has satisfactory consequences" (Titus and
Smith 545). However, pragmatism truly came into its own in the early 1900s, when another American philosopher, William James, sought to combine the science of psychology and the moral principles
of religion with logic to successfully apply them to the human experience. James defined pragmatism as, "The attitude of looking away from first things, principles, categories, supposed necessities; and
of looking towards last things, fruits, consequences, facts" (54-55). He believed that the philosophy of pragmatism was a "middle-of-the-road" alternative which would appeal to both the idealistic rationalist as
well as the pessimistic, "just the facts" empiricist (Titus and Smith 458). James assured these diametrically opposed thinkers that, "The oddly-named thing pragmatism... can satisfy both kinds of demands.
It can remain religious like rationalisms, but at the same time, like the empiricisms, it can preserve the richest intimacy with facts" (53). As conceived by William
James, pragmatism was concerned primarily with results (Titus and Smith 459). Facts of everyday life and experiences are accepted by James brand of pragmatist without question; reality is regarded