The Thirteen Pragmatisms and Other Essays

Abstract

imposed upon a philosopher has always been illustrated m Lovejoy's critical method, whether he was writing about emergent evolution, psychophysical dualism, or the reality of time.If one wishes to attack him, this is the place to do so.But one must be prepared to prove that the supposed data are really fictions or illusions.In his case this would involve one in proving, for instance, that the idea which I am now en tertaining of the character of Julius Caesar is identical with that character itself in date and location; that my idea, if true, is existentially one with that of a friend which is also true; that the image of which I am aware of a picture hang ing in the next room is also in the next room at this moment; and that two physical objects can be in the same place at the same time.Now there seems to be clearly present to Lovejoy the realization that no two minds are existentially the same how ever much they may agree, and it may be this conviction which has led him both to emphasize the temperamental ele ment in philosophies and the necessity for co-operation if productive work in philosophy is to be done, as well as above all, the tentative or hypothetical nature of philoso phizing.None of this implies to his way of thinking that agreement is impossible or that truth is nothing more than opinion.Quite the contrary, he gives one the impression that once the temperamental factor is clarified, it might be dis counted or perhaps eliminated by the man who is its victim.If several philosophers can be brought to agree on the definition of key terms and on what data they will accept,, they may also be brought to agree on their conclusions.Finally he believes that probability is better than fantasy .. X