British Empiricism and American Pragmatism: New Directions and Neglected Arguments

424 Pages·1993·0.99 MB·English

by  Robert Roth

British Empiricism and American
title: Pragmatism : New Directions and Neglected
Arguments
author: Roth, Robert J.
publisher: Fordham University Press
isbn10 | asin: 0823213927
print isbn13: 9780823213924
ebook isbn13: 9780585148373
language: English
Empiricism, Philosophy, British,
subject
Pragmatism, Philosophy, American.
publication date: 1993
lcc: B816.R68 1993eb
ddc: 144/.3/0973
Empiricism, Philosophy, British,
subject: Pragmatism, Philosophy, American.
Page iii
British Empiricism and American Pragmatism
New Directions and Neglected Arguments
by
Robert J. Roth, S. J.
Fordham University Press
New York
1993
Page iv
Copyright © 1993 by Fordham University Press
All rights reserved
LC93-3064
ISBN 0-8232-1391-9 (clothbound)
ISBN 0-8232-1392-7 (paperback)
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Roth, Robert J.
British empiricism and American pragmatism: new directions
and neglected arguments / Robert J. Roth.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8232-1391-9. ISBN 0-8232-1392-7 (pbk.)
1. Empiricism. 2. Philosophy, British. 3. Pragmatism.
4. Philosophy, American. I. Title.
B816.R68 1993
144'.3'0973dc20 93-3064
CIP
Printed in the United States of America
Page v
Contents
Preface vii
Acknowledgments ix
Abbreviations x
1. Experience 1
2. Cause and Effect, and Necessary Connection 29
3. Personal Identity 60
4. Moral, Social, and Political Theories: The Empiricists 90
5. Moral, Social, and Political Theories: The Pragmatists 136
6. New Directions and Neglected Challenges 182
Bibliography 195
Index 201
Page vii
Preface
It is not unusual for philosophers to talk about the various "turns" that
philosophy has taken in the course of its history. By this they mean
new directions begun by individuals or traditions that have departed
significantly from previous currents of thought. Thus Socrates
initiated the "turn inward," away from a consideration of the material
cosmos and toward the person as a citizen of the polis. Descartes took
the "subjectivist" or ''epistemological turn" toward the self as the
starting point and foundation of knowledge. There followed the
"empiricist turn" as a reaction against rationalism, quickly succeeded
by the ''Kantian" or "idealist turn." In more modern times, we have
become familiar with the positivist, linguisticmay we even say
deconstructionist?turns, proceeding successively or sometimes
simultaneously. It can be argued that none of these directions
represented a totally new beginning, wholly detached from what went
before. Socrates had roots in the pre-Socratic tradition, and Descartes
was more of a medievalist than he himself realized. Moreover, the
turns that were taken were not one-dimensional, focusing on a single
issue, but included many problems clustered tightly or loosely around
a central perspective.
I have tried in the present volume to describe the "pragmatic turn" in
relation to British empiricism. Over many years of teaching and
writing on British empiricism and American pragmatism, I have long
been conscious of the influence of the former on the latter. This does
not imply any great insight on my part, since to anyone working in
these two traditions the links between them as well as their sharp
differences are readily apparent. But it is only lately that I have
focused more directly on some specific problems with which the
pragmatists have taken issue with their predecessors and have given
the empirical tradition new directions. Moreover, there is no attempt
to repeat or supplant other fine works that have already been done on
empiricism and pragmatism. I have simply selected a number of
Page viii
themes which in my opinion have not been sufficiently aired and
which deserve further consideration. These can be called "neglected
arguments," an obvious reference to Peirce's defense of theism,
though with a different purpose.
The philosophers treated are the empiricists John Locke and David
Hume and the pragmatists Charles Sanders Peirce, William James,
and John Dewey. Not all five philosophers have discussed explicitly
and in detail every topic included in this volume. For example, Hume
and Peirce did so regarding necessary connection and causality, but
not Locke and James. But it is possible to draw from the writings of
the latter two their own positions on these topics.
There will indeed be some overlap between my own explorations and
those of others. After all, what new can be said on the pragmatic
notion of experience? But I am pretentious or deluded enough to think
that I can offer some new and perhaps even controversial
interpretations which may prompt others to go back and read these
philosophers from a fresh perspective. In the long run and in true
pragmatic fashion, I shall have to wait for the consequences as
expressed by the reactions of whatever readers may peruse these
pages!
Page ix
Acknowledgments
I wish to acknowledge with gratitude the editors of the following
journals for giving me permission to use, with some modifications,
articles of mine which they have published: "Hume's Theory of
Human Nature and Community," The New Scholasticism, 57 (1983),
331-51; "Did Peirce Answer Hume on Necessary Connection?" The
Review of Metaphysics, 38 (1985), 867-80; ''Hume and James on
Personal Identity," American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly, 64
(1990), 233-47; "John Dewey's 'Moral Law' Ethics,'' and "The
Empiricism of Hume's Political Theory," International Philosophical
Quarterly, 20 (1980), 127-42, and 31 (1991), 403-17.
Especially do I wish to thank my friends and colleagues at Fordham,
Vincent M. Colapietro and Vincent G. Potter, They have read large
S.J.
portions of the manuscript and have offered wise counsel. I have not
always followed their advice regarding Peirce and James. But they
have undoubtedly prevented me from making many more mistakes
than the ones that may be evident in my own rendition.
My thanks are due also to the following: Mrs. Lydia Ocasio, who
typed the manuscript with great efficiency and extraordinary patience;
Ms. Nancy McCarthy, Fordham University Director of Research, who
kindly made grants available to me at critical stages; and Dr. Mary
Beatrice Schulte, Executive Editor of Fordham University Press, who
by her competence, graciousness, and buoyancy has seen this volume,
as so many others, to completion.
Page x
Abbreviations
For complete information regarding these abbreviations, see
Bibliography.
John Locke
An Essay Concerning Human
EU
Understanding
T2 Second Treatise of Government
David Hume
Essays Moral, Political and Literary
E
EN1An Enquiry Concerning Human
Understanding
EN2An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of
Morals
H The History of England, 6 vols.
T A Treatise of Human Nature
Charles Sanders Peirce
Collected Papers of Charles Sanders Peirce, 8
CP
vols.
William James
The Meaning of Truth
MT
P Pragmatism
PP The Principles of Psychology, Vol. I
PU A Pluralistic Universe