# Charles Sanders Peirce — Pragmatism character guide

> Charles Sanders Peirce in Pragmatism by William James.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Mr. Charles Peirce, Mr. Peirce, Peirce, Charles

**First appearance:** 0003-lecture-i-the-present-dilemma-in-philosophy

## Snapshot

The logician who first gave pragmatism its name, invoked by James as the originator of a principle now spreading through the philosophic journals.

## Who they are

Peirce stands behind the whole enterprise: the man whose principle, applied to concrete cases, turns abstract disputes into questions about what would actually differ in practice. James treats him as a forerunner who generalized a method Socrates and Aristotle used only in fragments, and who now lends the movement its universal mission. The tension is generational and proprietary — a doctrine 'come to stay' that few understand clearly, sometimes greeted with respect, sometimes with contumely. His principle is the engine that makes the lectures' later arguments possible.

## In the story

### [Pragmatism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pragmatism_se/chapters/pragmatism)

Peirce is credited with introducing the pragmatic principle, which is foundational to the chapter's discussion.

### [Lecture I: The Present Dilemma in Philosophy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pragmatism_se/chapters/lecture-i-the-present-dilemma-in-philosophy)

Mentioned as the founder of pragmatism who recently gave lectures at the Lowell Institute.

### [Lecture II: What Pragmatism Means](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pragmatism_se/chapters/lecture-ii-what-pragmatism-means)

Credited with originating the principle of pragmatism, which James revives and applies.

### [Lecture IV: The One and the Many](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pragmatism_se/chapters/lecture-iv-the-one-and-the-many)

Peirce's principle of pragmatism is foundational to James's method in this lecture.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pragmatism_se/characters/charles_peirce
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- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pragmatism_se/characters