Pragmatism

First delivered as a course of lectures in 1906–1907, William James's "Pragmatism" remains one of the most influential and accessible works of American philosophy. In it, James proposes a radical approach to age-old questions: instead of seeking absolute, fixed truths, we should ask what practical difference our beliefs make in real life. This modern-English edition renders James's original text into clear, flowing prose while preserving his distinctive voice and all of his core arguments. You will encounter his famous defense of the pragmatic method, his discussions of truth, common sense, and religion, and his spirited critique of both dogmatic rationalism and narrow empiricism. Whether you are new to philosophy or revisiting a classic, this edition invites you to engage directly with a thinker who changed how we think about thinking itself. Part of The Modern Wisdom Library.