Research On The Inception And Evolution Of Pragmatism Philosophy

This dissertation, probing into the evolutionary logic and the historical backgroundof western philosophy, attempts to explore the inception, type, evolution and purport ofAmerican Pragmatism and to explicate a realistic comprehension of the features andcourse of American Pragmatism. In fact, scholars in China and abroad have failed toassociate the purport of American philosophy with the multiple reality of westernphilosophy when they elaborate the value and evolutionary logic of Pragmatism. Themodern philosophical spirit and practical type that American Pragmatism bears havenever been profoundly known. Hence, this dissertation focuses on the overall grasp andhistorical interpretation of American Pragmatism. Firstly, the dissertation demonstratesthe spiritual vigor that both theoretical and practical reasons implicate in the evolution ofAncient Greek Philosophy. Secondly, by analyzing the spirit of the time, the dissertationexcavates the spiritual and cultural characteristics of American localization and manifeststhe unique track that American Pragmatism has been following and the internalevolutionary logic of the philosophy.The theoretical scheme and analytic framework of this dissertation is to reveal theEuropean origin of American Pragmatism. Coming on the stage at the time of historicaltransition, American Pragmatism Philosophy is influenced by its peculiar social andcultural factors. The traditional religion and philosophy can’t provide any resolution tothe problems confronted by the new settlers, for whom the truth means survival. Suchimmigrant culture furnishes the early pragmatism philosophy. What the earlyphilosophers deal with is the realistic facts. They refuse the separation of spirit and matter,of subject and object, and of thinking and existence, asserting that philosophy researchshould be free both from spiritual and material absolute and abstraction and link suchconcepts as self, god, causality, and free will with people’s real life and practice.Historically speaking, American Pragmatism Philosophy has experienced three stagesfrom Classic Pragmatism through the combination with Analytic Philosophy to NewPragmatism. In late20thcentury, with the revival of research interest in the ClassicPragmatism Philosophy and the pragmatic turn in Emerson study, scholars in the USA trace back to Emerson, the representative of American transcendentalism in1830s,claiming that it is Emerson who prepares the path for American Pragmatism.The research emphasis of this dissertation is put on a careful investigation of thedetailed relationship between Emerson’s philosophy and the philosophy of such classicphilosophers as Charles S. Pierce, William James and Dewey on the basis of readingEmerson’s works thoroughly, revealing Emerson’s role as a spire of influence onAmerican philosophy, uncovering the essence, the intricacy and the modern value ofAmerican Pragmatism and eliminating some misunderstandings of the philosophy both inChina and abroad.The research approach of this dissertation is to put Emerson’s philosophy into theframework within which American Pragmatism, imbued with western philosophy, grows.The dissertation makes a careful analysis of the inherent relationship between Emerson’sthought and the heritage of Unitarianism and Scotland Realism, elaborates theintellectual influence on Emerson exerted by Ancient Greek philosophy, GermanIdealism and English Romanticism and uncover the link between Emerson and Nietzsche,Emerson and Pierce, Emerson and James and Emerson and Dewey. At the end of18thcentury, pushed by the European enlightenment，William Ellery Channing, the leadingspokesman of Unitarianism, announces the rejection of Puritan doctrine of man’s innatedepravity-a doctrine already qualified by many professed Calvinists-and asserts man’sfree moral agency. The result is to complete the drift of Unitarianism from theGod-centered piety of Puritans to a man-centered religion of duty. The Unitarianismrepresents the marriage of Puritanism and Enlightenment, emphasizing not only thenecessity of reason but the authority of church and the limitation of reason. Emerson，while inheriting some doctrines of the Unitarianism, criticizes that it is impossible for theUnitarianism to reconcile reason with revelation. The publication of Coleridge’s Aids toReflection brings to New England German Philosophy, especially Kant’s Philosophy.Inspired by German philosophy and English Romanticism, Emerson founds his ownphilosophy, alleging that everything in nature is new and changing, that life is a series ofsurprises and that people of the New World should not grope among the dry bones of thepast or put the living generation into masquerade out of its faded wardrobe. Emersoncalls upon that people in the New World should enjoy an original relation to the universe and build their own world by exploring, doing and creating. Emerson’s ideas anticipatethe Pragmatism philosophy of those classic philosophers, such as Pierce, James andDewey. In fact, the poetic tradition that Emerson derives from English Romanticismembodies the unique characteristics of American Pragmatism philosophy. What’s more,Emerson’s epistemology of moods anticipates Nietzsche’s perspectivism theory and thusendows American philosophy with Nietzscheism feature.Another aim of this dissertation is to make a comparative study of Marx’sphilosophy and American Pragmatism and to point out the transcendence of the formerover the latter. Even though Emerson’s concept of Heroism shares similarity withCarlyle’s Hero Warship, yet there is a big difference between the two. For Carlyle, humanhistory, which is invented by great men, is the stage of providence. Those great men areprophets to declare eternal justice to common herd. Carlyle’s Hero Warship, as Marx andEngels point out, is only a refuge for escaping from the hopeless reality, while Emerson’sHeroism advocates a wild courage, not of the schools but of the blood. Emerson’s hero isPromethean, who stands on foot and never ceases to explore. Comparing with Marx’sphilosophy, which emphasizes realistic purport, Emerson’s philosophy puts more stresson divinity, although it is illuminative in opposing modern metaphysics. The AmericanPragmatism does involve the issue such as practice, experience and demonstration, but itis fundamentally different from Marx’s philosophy in the respect of principled stand. Onthe one hand, both Pragmatism Philosophy and Marx’s philosophy represent the spirit ofthe time and keep pace with the development of society; on the other hand, PragmatismPhilosophy has never broken through its own limitation to unfold its value and itspositive power, while Marx’s philosophy shows its permanent realistic value andsignificance.