Bertrand Russell on Pragmatism

Bertrand Russell discusses pragmatism, beginning with William James' work "The Will to Believe", and critiquing some of the pragmatist conceptions of truth and knowledge. The audio recording comes from LibriVox and was read by Landon D. C. Elkind.
For more information about LibriVox and for endless additional and recordings: librivox.org
You may also be interested in the following discussion of pragmatism and truth between Richard Rorty, Hilary Putnam, and James Conant: • Pragmatism & Truth - R...
00:00 Introduction
04:50 The Will to Believe
24:26 The Nature of Truth
#Philosophy #Epistemology #BertrandRussell

[@tomisaacson2762]

Every time I come across excerpts from William James I think "damn I should read more William James." Few philosophers have that mix of clarity, readability, and insight.

[@benjaminben2392]

Yes definitely but ask the question
Insight of W James into function or beauty

[@lizgichora6472]

' All of Splendor ', thank you.

[@ohitsthem7601]

Thank you for this! 🙏👌🏻

[@windokeluanda]

Fabulous!🌹

[@votemonty1815]

Bravo! 👏

[@dionysianapollomarx]

Only Bertrand Russell would be so eloquently wrong

[@DawsonSWilliams]

Charlatans are unable to admit they are wrong.

[@sergiosatelite467]

Right?!!! I love the man. But he did so much to make pragmatism less palatable…I get it somewhat with James, but he could have made at least a minimal effort with Dewey-who was so kind to him on several occasions…

[@elderbob100]

When did philosophy become a popularity contest?

[@milanalexich2136]

Fox News.

[@holgerhn6244]

In what way was - say - John Dewey 'bismarckian'? I'm not wholly convinced here...

[@atmassylphen6785]

So many of you have no idea how anything works, that's why you think Pragmatism has anything useful to say. You find yourself in the world, the world does not find itself in you. Stay humble.

[@2fiafisdoafw34]

What?

[@jocr1971]

pragmatists are not subjective idealists

[@milanalexich2136]

American Pragmatism.

[@connectingupthedots]

Is there any other kind?

[@elderbob100]

These philosophers come across as rather dour in their photographs.

[@dialaskisel5929]

I suppose it is quite useful for ol' Berty to not believe in Pragmatism.

[@connectingupthedots]

Pragmatism is just relativism dressed up to look pretty.

[@DawsonSWilliams]

William James will be read for centuries to come; when Russell is only mentioned as the logician who influenced Wittgenstein.

[@jackakdemir8850]

Holy shit, this guy went straight for the jugular. Take it easy boss.

[@jackakdemir8850]

@@a1k131 Onun bir konuşma şekli, popüler Amerikan deyimi

[@asherreich9820]

@@a1k131 exactly. It means attacking the throat, going for a direct kill

[@a1k131]

Anyone care to tell me the difference between philosophies of William James and John Dewey ? I've been reading (and verbally translating to Turkish for one audience) Experience and Nature..(With not much philosophical background).

[@jmarz2600]

@@a1k131 Dewey was more influenced by Hegel while James was more influenced by the British Empiricists. James critiques Dewey in a 1904 essay titled "The Chicago School" which will help pave the way to understanding their differences. Neo-Hegelian thought was very influential in Great Britain and the United States at the end of the 19th Century and into the first few decades of the 20th. Almost all of James' writings can be seen as a critique of Neo-Hegelian thought (Royce and Bradley as examples).
A gross (and somewhat unfair to Dewey) summary is that Dewey thought "truth" was something that we, as a Society, moved towards (Progressivism), while James centered his conception of truth as what worked for the Individual.

[@davidchamberlain5425]

B.R....Pacifist and spent his time in a cell 🤫.writing books and living!...while other souls gave their lives for our today 🤔He however wrote books and relaxed🙄🙄🙄...No respect for this type of ......?