Abstract

CALCATERRA, Rosa M.. Putnam’s James. arete [online]. 2010, vol.22, n.2, pp.189-208. ISSN 1016-913X.

This paper seeks to reconstruct Hilary Putnam’s position concerning James’ philosophy by analyzing those aspects which have represented a major contribution to the evolution of the Putnamian Realism. After accurately describing the affinity between Wittgenstein and James which guides Putnam’s interest in James’ Pragmatism, the author revises the ethical, epistemological and metaphysical themes from which the most fruitful aspects of Pragmatism emerge. Some of these are: the conjunction between antidogmatism and antiscepticism, the procedural conception of knowledge and truth, the critique to physicalist reductionism and to common sense realism, and, finally, the thesis of the importance of the practical dimension in the development of philosophical analysis. This way, the currentness of the Jamesian battle against the dichotomic logic that rules our theoretical tradition is highlighted.

Keywords : William James; Hilary Putnam; Realism; Pragmatism; anti-scepticism.

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