Pragmatism_and_Analytic_Philosophy

Pragmatism and Analytic Philosophy Pragmatism is the United States’ contribution to philosophy (Moore & Bruder, 2008). C. S. Peirce, William James, and John Dewey were three pragmatists in American philosophy (Moore & Bruder, 2008). Pragmatism and analytic philosophy are unique to America because these philosophies differ from the philosophies of Europe philosophers. European philosophy rejects scientific methods, but relies on factors of space, time, and history to view thoughts. American pragmatists did not believe in absolute truth; they believed truth existed with time, a place, and a purpose (More & Bruder, 2008). This caused constant changes in data; therefore, causing the truth to frequently change. Pragmatism, to Peirce, is the rule to ascertain the meaning of ideas (Moore & Bruder, 2008). Pragmatism, to James, is to determine the meaning of an idea is to find its usefulness (Moore & Bruder, 2008). Pragmatism, to Dewey, is instrumentalism. Dewey thinks the mind and other tools of the body are instruments to use in decision-making (Moore & Bruder, 2008). Analytic philosophy makes a complex proposition into a simpler proposition (Moore & Bruder, 2008). Analytical philosophy is using sensibility to make rational conclusions using facts when searching for meanings to ideas. Bertrand Russell wanted to find an account of numbers and mathematics, so he began studying idealist metaphysical principles. He believed that propositions about numbers were only about numbers and arithmetical propositions come from basic propositions (Moore & Bruder, 2008). Russell became a proponent of logicism along with German mathematician Gottlob Frege. Frege developed his own language using symbols instead of words because words contain ambiguity (Moore & Bruder, 2008). Analytic philosophy gained attention in the English-speaking world in the 20th century (Moore & Bruder, 2008). Moore, B. N., & Bruder, K. (2008). Philosophy: The power of ideas (7th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.