Pragmatic Possibility

I hoped writing here would develop a personal editorial style appropriate for the op-ed columns I seek to write in my later days. However, the authoritative voice does not come naturally to me. I blame my postmodern historical education in general and more specifically, my interest in pragmatic theory for denying me the ability to take a strong stance with confidence in its continued validity. While postmodernism is often dismissed as cultural relativism, I believe its historical precursor pragmatism, can be applied effectively and avoids the nihilistic tendencies of postmodernism. I have been deeply enthralled by pragmatic philosophy and its social and cultural implications since exposed to William James during my junior year of college. Pragmatism allows us to view beliefs as social habits, and emphasizes the importance of collective democratic decision-making based upon the consequences of action. Refuting the trend towards absolutes, pragmatism offers our current world a method for solving conflict.

Here is a link to William James’ “On a Certain Blindness in Human Beings.” This essay by James deals less with pragmatic theory than some of his other works, but I feel it explicates pragmatism’s ethical base.

http://www.des.emory.edu/mfp/jcertain.html