# Pragmatism — Pragmatism character guide

> Pragmatism in Pragmatism by William James.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** pragmatism, Pragmatism

**First appearance:** 0002-pragmatism

## Who they are

A method that asks what concrete difference a belief makes, collapsing disputes into insignificance when no practical consequence can be traced.

## In the story

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

Pragmatism is presented as a method and a new name for old ways of thinking, central to the chapter.

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

Pragmatism is introduced as the philosophical tendency James will advocate, though not yet fully defined.

### [Lecture III: Some Metaphysical Problems Pragmatically Considered](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pragmatism_se/chapters/lecture-iii-some-metaphysical-problems-pragmatically-considered)

The pragmatic method is applied to the substance problem and the materialism vs. theism debate, showing that concepts must be judged by their practical consequences.

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

The pragmatic method is applied to the problem of unity, focusing on the practical consequences of oneness and manyness.

### [Lecture VI: Pragmatism's Conception of Truth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pragmatism_se/chapters/lecture-vi-pragmatism-s-conception-of-truth)

The central concept of the lecture, defined as the method that asks about the cash-value of truth in experiential terms.

### [Lecture VII: Pragmatism and Humanism](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pragmatism_se/chapters/lecture-vii-pragmatism-and-humanism)

Pragmatism is presented as the philosophical stance that truth grows within finite experiences and that the universe is unfinished and pluralistic.

### [Lecture VIII: Pragmatism and Religion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pragmatism_se/chapters/lecture-viii-pragmatism-and-religion)

Presented as the mediator between tough-minded and tender-minded views, and as a method for evaluating religious hypotheses.

## Links

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