Eames, S. Morris. Pragmatic Naturalism: An Introduction. Carbondale and Edwardsville: Southern Illinois Press, 1977.

Abstract

This important contribution to the history of American philosophy surveys the leading ideas of pragmatic naturalism through the theses of the major figures in the movement, Peirce, James, Mead, and Dewey. It is said that America came of age intellectually with the appearance of the pragmatic movement in philosophy. Directed toward use by philosophy and education students, this useful new book entirely devoted to the subject presents a selective and interpretive exposition of this philosophy as developed in the writings of its intellectual founders and chief exponents - Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, George Herbert Mead, and John Dewey. Eame's focus is twofold. On one level, he provides an understandable and readable introduction to the philosophy variously termed "pragmatism," "experimentalism,: and "empirical naturalism." On another plane, the author offersan incisive interpretation of the term "pragmatic naturalism," by drawing attention to the wedding of pragmatic theory of knowledge and a naturalistic theory of experience through an analysis of the ideas of the movement's founders. Mr. Eames groups the leading ideas of these pragmatic naturalists around the general fields of "Nature and Human Life," "Knowledge," "Value," and "Education," treating the primary concerns and emphases of each philosopher to these issues. For instance, Dewey and Peirce are concerned especially with problems of logic and methodology, James and Mead with psychology and social psychology; and none is as dedicated to the problems of education as is Dewey. Eames goes on to show that however diverse their inquiries, the common bonds which unite the pragmatic naturalists are a philosophical method and a general philosophical outlook. Pragmatic naturalism has been described as a "problem-oriented" movement rather than a systematic philosophy. While the founders were not system builders in the old metaphysical sense of that term, all of them were concerned with the question of the unity of knowledge: Peirce, that the procedure of unifying human knowledge must be developed from the ground up; James, that human consciousness tries to unify itself proceeding from empirical not speculative premises; Mead and Dewey, that philosophizing has two primary functions - analysis and synthesis of the conclusions of modern science. All felt that scientific beliefs and value beliefs must be brought into a working harmony and unity. A particularly valuable section of this book, which will be idely used as an introductory text, is the discussion of the relevance of pragmatic naturalism to education, a field in which this philosophy has been either invoked or castigated without an appreciation of the philosophical ideas of the movement. Philosophy and education students, teachers of philosophy and of education, and general readers will find this unique study of the only native American philosophic movement an important reference to an overview of American philosophy; while students of intellectual history will note its relevant value as they see the ideas of the founders of pragmatic naturalism expressed through myriad patterns of contemporary life and culture.