The Necessity of Pragmatism: John Dewey's Conception of PhilosophyHailed as "the most important overall reassessment of Dewey in several decades" (Sidney Ratner, Journal of Speculative Philosophy), The Necessity of Pragmatism investigates the most difficult and neglected aspects of Dewey's thought, his metaphysics and logic. R. W. Sleeper argues for a fundamental unity in Dewey's work, a unity that rests on his philosophy of language, and clarifies Dewey's conception of pragmatism as an action-based philosophy with the power to effect social change through criticism and inquiry. Identifying Dewey's differences with his pragmatist forerunners, Charles Sanders Peirce and William James, Sleeper elucidates Dewey's reshaping of pragmatism and the radical significance of his philosophy of culture. In this first paperback edition, a new introduction by Tom Burke establishes the ongoing importance of Sleeper's analysis of the integrity of Dewey's work and its implications for mathematics, aesthetics, and the cognitive sciences. |
Common terms and phrases
abstract analytic bibliography C. I. Lewis causal central chapter character common conception of logic conception of philosophy consequences context criticism culture Dewey argues Dewey was already Dewey's conception Dewey's Logic Dewey's metaphysics Dewey's philosophy Dewey's theory discourse empirical empiricism epistemology essay essences ethics event existence existential Experience and Nature experimental fact foundations Frege function Hegel's Hegelian idealism inference involvement James's John Dewey judgment logic of experience logical necessity Logical Theory mathematics means metaphysics moral Nagel object of knowledge objective idealism ontology Peirce's perspective pragmatism Principles priori problem propositions psychology Quine realism reconstruction reference relation Rorty Rorty's Russell Russell's scientific method sense Sidney Hook Sleeper social Studies in Logical subject-matter Superstition of Necessity synechism theory of inquiry theory of language things thinking thought tion traits transformational truth University Press Vienna Circle W. V. Quine wants to show warranted assertions Wittgenstein