What Was James’s Theory of Truth?

Abstract

AbstractIn Pragmatism, William James promised his readers a theory of truth. However, many of his readers (even those sympathetic with other parts of James’s work) have concluded that his “theory” was little more than a tangle of mistakes. This chapter begins with a presentation of the standard objections to James’s discussion. It is then argued that James did have a coherent theory of truth, which must be understood in combination with his metaphysics of pure experience. James’s pluralism about truth is emphasized. It is concluded that (while James’s metaphysical views will not appeal to the typical reader today) his theory of truth is not refuted by the standard objections.