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A Pluralistic Universe · Theme
Critique of Absolutism
How A Pluralistic Universe develops Critique of Absolutism.
Argues that the Absolute, as conceived by Hegel and other idealists, is a foreign, static, and abstract entity that de-realizes human experience, history, and suffering.
Where it surfaces
- Lecture II: Monistic Idealism
James critiques the absolute as a 'metaphysical monster' (Bradley) and argues that its logical proofs, like Lotze's, are merely verbal, failing to provide genuine understanding.
- Lecture III: Hegel and His Method
James argues that the absolute is not forced by logic and is an improbable hypothesis, raising the problem of evil and irrationality as key objections.