A Pluralistic Universe · Character

Josiah Royce

James's colleague and friendly adversary, the idealist whose loyalty to loyalty and truth-at-large James cites even while resisting his monism.

supporting

Also known as Royce, Professor Royce, continuity Royce, Lotze and Royce

First appearance: lecture ii monistic idealism

As a supporting figure in A Pluralistic Universe, Josiah Royce is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Quoted as a 'gifted absolutist colleague' who describes the absolute as 'one luminously transparent conscious moment.'

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Royce appears in these lectures as a philosopher of continuity and absolute truth, quoted on 'loyalty to loyalty' and on truth at large as a momentous issue against the poor scraps of true particulars. He is also one of the combatants in the scandal of activity, excluding opponents with a grundsätzlich ausgeschlossen and reviewing Stout in the ongoing quarrel. James treats him with respect but keeps his distance, since Royce's absolutism is exactly the monistic position radical empiricism must answer.

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Josiah Royce appears across 6 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Lecture I: The Types of Philosophic Thinking
Quoted as a 'gifted absolutist colleague' who describes the absolute as 'one luminously transparent conscious moment.'
Lecture III: Hegel and His Method
Royce's proof of the absolute by reductio ad absurdum is mentioned as an example of arguments framed on the Hegelian pattern, which James finds non-proven.
Lecture V: The Compounding of Consciousness
James notes that Royce hears the voice of logic's veto but cannily ignores its utterances, aligning with Fechner and Hegel on the truer path.
Lecture VI: Bergson and His Critique of Intellectualism
Listed as another monistic successor who finds paradox in the relation of empirical data to their conditions.
Appendix B: The Experience of Activity
James quotes Royce's review of Stout's Analytic Psychology, agreeing with Royce that the inner nature of efficacy and activity are superficial problems, but disagreeing on separating efficacy from activity.
Endnotes
Referenced for 'The World and the Individual' and 'The Spirit of Modern Philosophy'.

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See Josiah Royce in lecture ii monistic idealism

See Josiah Royce in Lecture I: The Types of Philosophic Thinking