Comments on: Menand’s Authorial Strategy

By: William Schwartz

William Schwartz — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 14:22:47 +0000

As others have stated, I too find the book difficult to follow. I’m not sure if I’m reading something and perhaps miss interpret the meaning off it, at times I’m just lost. But other times I find it very interesting and makes me look at things differently. I’m very impressed with the different writers and thinkers like Holmes, Peirce, Dewey and especially Darwin. Philosophers and Scientist had been ridiculed for publishing articles that did not meet the expectation or the belief of the masses. Some of the things I have read I agree with, and others I do not. You have to keep un open mind. Even in this age people will get criticized for saying things that people have a hard time believing.

By: Brian Knaak

Brian Knaak — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:53:24 +0000

There is no question Menand’s book is quite difficult to follow. This is due to the broadnesss in which he examines the rise of Pragmatism. In essence he is examing the sociological, philosophical,mathmatical, historical and scientific modes of thought inherent within Pragmatism. This is clearly a daunting task.
Examining each of these areas Menand is showing that, over the course of Early American history, idea’s and theories began to build upon one another in many different fields. This exchange of ideas led to what would eventually become pragmatism.
It is also important to realize that Menand agrees that “It’s not possible to develop a single accurate account of the rise of pramatism” Within pragmatism a single unified theory is simply not possible. To create a unified theory would go in the face of all that pragmatists held true. Specifically, a unified theory would create an absolutist vision of reality. Rather, these theories are entirely relative. That is, none could explain absolute truth. This is not to say that all theories are false. Many theories do have usefulness or “cost value.” This is how James believes one should judge a theory. Theory or ideas should be judged by the utility a particular theory creates in a particular situation during a particular time.
As Menand’s book illustrates this was not a clear cut road. Rather it was a road full of unexpectd detours. As Menand is beginning to illustrate, pragmatism, stresses the belief that “certainty was impossible.” Although pragmatist, were quite disperate in their individual beliefs, it was the impossibility of certainty that would have the most basic impact on this new thought process.

By: Erica Spurgeon

Erica Spurgeon — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:02:30 +0000

I have found that this book is hard to follow. There are a lot of characters who all seem to have differnt ideas. However, this book fascinates me because it’s good to know that even the most fascinating, brave, intelligent men (and I would assume some women), are uncertain about the ways of life. When people are uncertain about things, they become defensive about it and can spend much of their lives and risk their reputation to prove that they are right (AKA George Bush). However, when I think about pragmatists, I think of people who learned to relax and accept life and accept the fact that there is no one right answer, therefore, they do not waste much of their time proving they are right; instead they spend most of their time trying to prove that everyone is a little bit right.