Pragmatism and The Meaning of Truth / Edition 1

by William James, A. J. Ayer

Overview

Pragmatism is the most famous single work of American philosophy. Its sequel, The Meaning of Truth, is its imperative and inevitable companion. The definitive texts of both works are here available for the first time in one volume, with an introduction by the distinguished contemporary philosopher A. J. Ayer.

In Pragmatism, William James attacked the transcendental, rationalist tradition in philosophy and tried to clear the ground for the doctrine he called radical empiricism. When first published, the book caused an uproar. It was greeted with praise, hostility, ridicule. Determined to clarify his views, James collected nine essays he had written on this subject before he wrote Pragmatism and six written later in response to criticisms by Bertrand Russell and others. He published The Meaning of Truth in 1909, the year before his death.

These two works show James at his best full of verve and good humor. Intent upon making difficult ideas clear, he is characteristically vigorous in his effort to make them prevail.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780674697379
Publisher:	Harvard University Press
Publication date:	08/02/1978
Series:	The Works of William James , #11
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	5.44(w) x 8.25(h) x 1.03(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction by A. J. Ayer

Pragmatism

Notes

The Meaning of Truth

Notes

Index

Editorial Reviews

PRAGMATISM, originally a series of lectures, is an approachable but far from simple philosophical text, and THE MEANING OF TRUTH, a collection of essays, is more challenging yet. Adam Sims's voice isn't immediately impressive but proves to be a highly serviceable tool, flexible and expressive. He uses it to elucidate James's meaning and also bring out his tone, which in Sims's performance is argumentative, but urbane and commonsensical. Rather than lecturing, he delivers the texts as conversation. Performance is interpretation, and Sims's narration may make James's meaning clearer to the listener than it would be to a reader--but listeners unfamiliar with the books may find them stiff going. Despite the difficulty of the material, Sims's performance is remarkably engaging; it's hard to imagine better. W.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2023 - AudioFile

PRAGMATISM, originally a series of lectures, is an approachable but far from simple philosophical text, and THE MEANING OF TRUTH, a collection of essays, is more challenging yet. Adam Sims's voice isn't immediately impressive but proves to be a highly serviceable tool, flexible and expressive. He uses it to elucidate James's meaning and also bring out his tone, which in Sims's performance is argumentative, but urbane and commonsensical. Rather than lecturing, he delivers the texts as conversation. Performance is interpretation, and Sims's narration may make James's meaning clearer to the listener than it would be to a reader--but listeners unfamiliar with the books may find them stiff going. Despite the difficulty of the material, Sims's performance is remarkably engaging; it's hard to imagine better. W.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

AUGUST 2023 - AudioFile