[MD] william James.

[david buchanan]

"The concept of the Absolute was re-introduced into philosophy by Hegel, Schelling, and their followers; it is associated with various forms of philosophical idealism. The Absolute, either under that name, or as the "Ground of Being", or some similar concept, also figures in several of the attempted proofs of the existence of God, particularly the ontological argument and the cosmological argument. In scholastic philosophy the Absolute was regarded as Pure Act, unadulterated with remaining potential.The concept was adopted into neo-Hegelian British idealism (though without Hegel's complex logical and dialectical apparatus), where it received an almost mystical exposition at the hands of F.H. Bradley. Bradley (followed by others including Timothy L.S. Sprigge) conceived the Absolute as a single all-encompassing experience, rather along the lines of Shankara and Advaita Vedanta. Likewise, Josiah Royce in the United States conceived the Absolute as a unitary Knower Whose experience constitutes what we know as the "external" world." (Wiki)

Compare Pragmatism, etc.:


"Particularly the works of William James and F.C.S. Schiller, both founding members of pragmatism, made lifelong assaults on Absolute Idealism. James was particularly concerned with the monism that Absolute Idealism engenders, and the consequences this has for the problem of evil, free will, and moral action. Schiller rather attacked Absolute Idealism for being too disconnected with our practical lives, and that its proponents failed to realize that thought is merely a tool for action rather than for making discoveries about an abstract world that fails to have any impact on us.Absolute idealism has greatly altered the philosophical landscape. Paradoxically, (though, from a Hegelian point of view, maybe not paradoxically at all) this influence is mostly felt in the strong opposition it engendered. Both logical positivism and grew out of a rebellion against Hegelianism prevalent in England during the 19th century. Continental phenomenology, existentialism and post-modernism also seek to 'free themselves from Hegel's thought'. Martin Heidegger, one of the leading figures of Continental philosophy in the 20th century, sought to distance himself from Hegel's work. One of Heidegger's philosophical themes was "overcoming metaphysics"." (Wiki)



John said to Adrie:

 I thought pragmatism was supposed to be pragmatic.  One damn universe at a time, please. One universe, as big as infinite thought, which contains (probably) multiple stages of play - where the rules are different, behind that curtain, yes.  I get that.  I just don't see the need for a ridiculous kludge like "multi-uni-verse".  Sorry Adrie.  Sorry William.



dmb says:

Pragmatism (or Humanism, as James preferred to call it) was practically invented to defeat Absolute Idealism. As he saw it, Absolutism was just another name for orthodox theology. It was the philosophy of buttoned-up prigs who insisted that feelings have nothing to do with the truth. The block universe, he called it. The Absolute itself, he thought, was a metaphysical fiction. It was the kind of "trans-experiential entity" that his radically empirical method will not admit. But more to the point...


"The truth is too great for any one actual mind, even thought that mind be dubbed 'the Absolute,' to know the whole of it. The facts and worths of life need many cognizers to take them in. The is no point of view absolutely public and universal." (James says in the intro to his "Talks to Teachers") "The practical consequences of such a philosophy is the well-known democratic respect for the sacredness of individuality - is, at any rate, the outward tolerance of whatever in not itself intolerant."