Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-nr4z6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-28T22:45:13.380Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
This chapter is part of a book that is no longer available to purchase from Cambridge Core

Conclusion: the New Pragmatism and philosophy

Alan Malachowski
Affiliation:
University of Stellenbosch, South Africa
Get access

Summary

It is pictures rather than propositions, metaphors rather than statements, which determine most of our philosophical convictions.

(Richard Rorty, Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature)

We have said that the New Pragmatism needs to capitalize on its influence outside the field of philosophy itself. And, we have shown some of the ways in which it has started to do so with enthusiasm and evident accomplishment. Does this mean that it cannot flourish within that field? This question needs to be split up. We did not intend to imply that the New Pragmatism cannot do well within philosophy. Our claim simply acknowledged that it would prefer to do well by its own standards. And there is more social utility to be had, and more scope for practical efficacy, if the New Pragmatism widens its sphere of application. But, this still leaves untouched the question: can the New Pragmatism do well within philosophy? What is there to say about it?

Well, that question breaks down into the question of whether the New Pragmatism is likely to succeed and a question about ‘possibility’: can it do so or is there good reason to think that philosophical success is impossible? The first question is pretty straightforwardly factual, and the answer depends on many contingent circumstances and events that are difficult to predict.

Type
Chapter
Information
The New Pragmatism , pp. 129 - 136
Publisher: Acumen Publishing
Print publication year: 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×