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A compelling collection of the life-changing writings of William
James William James-psychologist, philosopher, and spiritual
seeker-is one of those rare writers who can speak directly and
powerfully to anyone about life's meaning and worth, and whose
ideas change not only how people think but how they live. The
thinker who helped found the philosophy of pragmatism and inspire
Alcoholics Anonymous, James famously asked, "is life worth living?"
Bringing together many of his best and most popular essays, talks,
and other writings, this anthology presents James's answer to that
and other existential questions, in his own unique manner-caring,
humorous, eloquent, incisive, humble, and forever on the trail of
the "ever not quite." Here we meet a James perfectly attuned to the
concerns of today-one who argues for human freedom, articulates a
healthy-minded psychology, urges us to explore the stream of
consciousness, presents a new definition of truth based on its
practical consequences, and never forecloses the possibility of
mystical transcendence. Introduced by John Kaag and Jonathan van
Belle, these compelling and accessible selections reveal why James
is one of the great guides to the business of living.
Hiking with Nietzsche is a tale of two philosophical journeys in
the Swiss Alps: one made by John Kaag as an introspective teenager,
the other seventeen years later in radically different
circumstances - as a husband and father with his wife and small
child in tow. Kaag travels to the peaks above Sils Maria where
Nietzsche routinely summered, and where he wrote his mysterious
landmark work, Thus Spoke Zarathustra. Both trips are made in
search of the wisdom at the core of Nietzsche's philosophy, yet
they bring Kaag to radically different revelations about the human
condition. Entertaining, intimate and thought-provoking, Hiking
with Nietzsche explores not only Nietzsche's ideals but how his
philosophy relates to us in the 21st century. It is about defeating
complacency, balancing sanity and madness and coming to grips with
the unobtainable. As Kaag hikes into the high places, alone or with
his family, but always with Nietzsche, he finds that the process of
climbing and the inevitable missteps give one the chance, in
Nietzsche's words, to 'become who you are'. Even when we think it
too late to change, this most controversial of thinkers can inspire
the rediscovery of meaning.
Use your imagination! The demand is as important as it is
confusing. What is the imagination? What is its value? Where does
it come from? And where is it going in a time when even the obscene
seems overdone and passé? This book takes up these questions and
argues for the centrality of imagination in human cognition. It
traces the development of the imagination in Kant’s critical
philosophy (particularly the Critique of Aesthetic Judgment) and
claims that the insights of Kantian aesthetic theory, especially
concerning the nature of creativity, common sense, and genius,
influenced the development of nineteenth-century American
philosophy. The book identifies the central role of the imagination
in the philosophy of Peirce, a role often overlooked in analytic
treatments of his thought. The final chapters pursue the
observation made by Kant and Peirce that imaginative genius is a
type of natural gift (ingenium) and must in some way be continuous
with the creative force of nature. It makes this final turn by way
of contemporary studies of metaphor, embodied cognition, and
cognitive neuroscience.
What Thoreau can teach us about working—why we do it, what it
does to us, and how we can make it more meaningful Henry at Work
invites readers to rethink how we work today by exploring an aspect
of Henry David Thoreau that has often been overlooked: Thoreau the
worker. John Kaag and Jonathan van Belle overturn the popular
misconception of Thoreau as a navel-gazing recluse who was scornful
of work and other mundanities. In fact, Thoreau worked
hard—surveying land, running his family’s pencil-making
business, writing, lecturing, and building his cabin at Walden
Pond—and thought intensely about work in its many dimensions. And
his ideas about work have much to teach us in an age of remote work
and automation, when many people are reconsidering what kind of
working lives they want to have. Through Thoreau, readers will
discover a philosophy of work in the office, factory, lumber mill,
and grocery store, and reflect on the rhythms of the workday, the
joys and risks of resigning oneself to work, the dubious promises
of labor-saving technology, and that most vital and eternal of
philosophical questions, “How much do I get paid?” In ten
chapters, including “Manual Work,” “Machine Work,” and
“Meaningless Work,” this personal, urgent, practical, and
compassionate book introduces readers to their new favorite
coworker: Henry David Thoreau.
From the celebrated author of American Philosophy: A Love Story and
Hiking with Nietzsche, a compelling introduction to the
life-affirming philosophy of William James In 1895, William James,
the father of American philosophy, delivered a lecture entitled "Is
Life Worth Living?" It was no theoretical question for James, who
had contemplated suicide during an existential crisis as a young
man a quarter century earlier. Indeed, as John Kaag writes,
"James's entire philosophy, from beginning to end, was geared to
save a life, his life"-and that's why it just might be able to save
yours, too. Sick Souls, Healthy Minds is a compelling introduction
to James's life and thought that shows why the founder of
pragmatism and empirical psychology-and an inspiration for
Alcoholics Anonymous-can still speak so directly and profoundly to
anyone struggling to make a life worth living. Kaag tells how
James's experiences as one of what he called the "sick-souled,"
those who think that life might be meaningless, drove him to
articulate an ideal of "healthy-mindedness"-an attitude toward life
that is open, active, and hopeful, but also realistic about its
risks. In fact, all of James's pragmatism, resting on the idea that
truth should be judged by its practical consequences for our lives,
is a response to, and possible antidote for, crises of meaning that
threaten to undo many of us at one time or another. Along the way,
Kaag also movingly describes how his own life has been endlessly
enriched by James. Eloquent, inspiring, and filled with insight,
Sick Souls, Healthy Minds may be the smartest and most important
self-help book you'll ever read.
From the author of American Philosophy: A Love Story, a compelling
introduction to the life-affirming philosophy of William James In
1895, William James, the father of American philosophy, delivered a
lecture entitled "Is Life Worth Living?" It was no theoretical
question for James, who had contemplated suicide during an
existential crisis as a young man a quarter century earlier.
Indeed, as John Kaag writes, "James's entire philosophy, from
beginning to end, was geared to save a life, his life"-and that's
why it just might be able to save yours, too. Sick Souls, Healthy
Minds is an absorbing introduction to James's life and thought that
shows why the founder of pragmatism and empirical psychology can
still speak so directly and profoundly to anyone struggling to make
a life worth living.
Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2015 One of the most
significant and controversial developments in contemporary warfare
is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as
drones. In the last decade, US drone strikes have more than doubled
and their deployment is transforming the way wars are fought across
the globe. But how did drones claim such an important role in
modern military planning? And how are they changing military
strategy and the ethics of war and peace? What standards might
effectively limit their use? Should there even be a limit? Drone
warfare is the first book to engage fully with the political,
legal, and ethical dimensions of UAVs. In it, political scientist
Sarah Kreps and philosopher John Kaag discuss the extraordinary
expansion of drone programs from the Cold War to the present day
and their so-called 'effectiveness' in conflict zones. Analysing
the political implications of drone technology for foreign and
domestic policy as well as public opinion, the authors go on to
examine the strategic position of the United States - by far the
world's most prolific employer of drones - to argue that US
military supremacy could be used to enshrine a new set of
international agreements and treaties aimed at controlling the use
of UAVs in the future.
The epic wisdom contained in a lost library helps the author turn
his life around John Kaag is a dispirited young philosopher at sea
in his marriage and his career when he stumbles upon West Wind, a
ruin of an estate in the hinterlands of New Hampshire that belonged
to the eminent Harvard philosopher William Ernest Hocking. Hocking
was one of the last true giants of American philosophy and a direct
intellectual descendent of William James, the father of American
philosophy and psychology, with whom Kaag feels a deep kinship. It
is James's question "Is life worth living?" that guides this
remarkable book. The books Kaag discovers in the Hocking library
are crawling with insects and full of mold. But he resolves to
restore them, as he immediately recognizes their importance. Not
only does the library at West Wind contain handwritten notes from
Whitman and inscriptions from Frost, but there are startlingly rare
first editions of Hobbes, Descartes, and Kant. As Kaag begins to
catalog and read through these priceless volumes, he embarks on a
thrilling journey that leads him to the life-affirming tenets of
American philosophy--self-reliance, pragmatism, and
transcendence--and to a brilliant young Kantian who joins him in
the restoration of the Hocking books. Part intellectual history,
part memoir, American Philosophy is ultimately about love, freedom,
and the role that wisdom can play in turning one's life around.
Use your imagination The demand is as important as it is confusing.
What is the imagination? What is its value? Where does it come
from? And where is it going in a time when even the obscene seems
overdone and passe?
This book takes up these questions and argues for the centrality of
imagination in human cognition. It traces the development of the
imagination in Kant's critical philosophy (particularly the
Critique of Aesthetic Judgment) and claims that the insights of
Kantian aesthetic theory, especially concerning the nature of
creativity, common sense, and genius, influenced the development of
nineteenth-century American philosophy.
The book identifies the central role of the imagination in the
philosophy of Peirce, a role often overlooked in analytic
treatments of his thought. The final chapters pursue the
observation made by Kant and Peirce that imaginative genius is a
type of natural gift (ingenium) and must in some way be continuous
with the creative force of nature. It makes this final turn by way
of contemporary studies of metaphor, embodied cognition, and
cognitive neuroscience."
Choice Outstanding Academic Title for 2015 One of the most
significant and controversial developments in contemporary warfare
is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly referred to as
drones. In the last decade, US drone strikes have more than doubled
and their deployment is transforming the way wars are fought across
the globe. But how did drones claim such an important role in
modern military planning? And how are they changing military
strategy and the ethics of war and peace? What standards might
effectively limit their use? Should there even be a limit? Drone
warfare is the first book to engage fully with the political,
legal, and ethical dimensions of UAVs. In it, political scientist
Sarah Kreps and philosopher John Kaag discuss the extraordinary
expansion of drone programs from the Cold War to the present day
and their so-called 'effectiveness' in conflict zones. Analysing
the political implications of drone technology for foreign and
domestic policy as well as public opinion, the authors go on to
examine the strategic position of the United States - by far the
world's most prolific employer of drones - to argue that US
military supremacy could be used to enshrine a new set of
international agreements and treaties aimed at controlling the use
of UAVs in the future.
What are the implications of philosophical pragmatism for
international relations theory and foreign policy practice?
According to John Ryder, "a foreign policy built on pragmatist
principles is neither naive nor dangerous. In fact, it is very much
what both the U.S. and the world are currently in need of." Close
observers of Barack Obama's foreign policy statements have also
raised the possibility of a distinctly pragmatist approach to
international relations. Absent from the three dominant theoretical
perspectives in the field-realism, idealism and constructivism-is
any mention of pragmatism, except in the very limited,
instrumentalist sense of choosing appropriate foreign policy tools
to achieve proposed policy objectives. The key commitments of any
international relations approach in the pragmatist tradition could
include a flexible approach to crafting policy ends, theory
integrally related to practice, a concern for both the normative
and explanatory dimensions of international relations research, and
policy means treated as hypotheses for experimental testing.
Following the example of classic pragmatists such as John Dewey and
neo-pragmatists like Richard Rorty, international relations
scholars and foreign policy practitioners would have to forgo grand
theories, instead embracing a situationally-specific approach to
understanding and addressing emerging global problems.
Unfortunately, commentary on the relationship between philosophical
pragmatism and international relations has been limited. The
authors in Philosophical Pragmatism and International Relations
remedies this lacuna by exploring ways in which philosophical
pragmatism, both classic and contemporary, can inform international
relations theory and foreign policy practice today.
This book is about American perceptions of the United Nations and
international collective action. More specifically, it is about a
particular perception that became increasingly vivid in the course
of the 1990s and came to dominate American foreign policy in the
aftermath of 11 September 2001. It is about the processes that
granted this perception wide-spread acceptance and transformed the
United Nations, once a policy instrument of the United States, into
a negative symbol in neoconservative iconography. This story does
not, however, begin on 11 September 2001. The U.S. abandonment of
the United Nations, despite its apparent suddenness and violent
consequences, was very long in coming. The profound scepticism and
symbolic hatred that the United Nations inspired in certain U.S.
political circles in the last decade is not of recent vintage and
can be traced to long-standing doubts about the legitimacy of the
UN. Since its inception, the organization has, at crucial points,
been treated as a symbol of anti-Americanism, as an amorphous but
very dangerous threat to American interests.
What are the implications of philosophical pragmatism for
international relations theory and foreign policy practice?
According to John Ryder, "a foreign policy built on pragmatist
principles is neither naive nor dangerous. In fact, it is very much
what both the U.S. and the world are currently in need of." Close
observers of Barack Obama's foreign policy statements have also
raised the possibility of a distinctly pragmatist approach to
international relations. Absent from the three dominant theoretical
perspectives in the field-realism, idealism and constructivism-is
any mention of pragmatism, except in the very limited,
instrumentalist sense of choosing appropriate foreign policy tools
to achieve proposed policy objectives. The key commitments of any
international relations approach in the pragmatist tradition could
include a flexible approach to crafting policy ends, theory
integrally related to practice, a concern for both the normative
and explanatory dimensions of international relations research, and
policy means treated as hypotheses for experimental testing.
Following the example of classic pragmatists such as John Dewey and
neo-pragmatists like Richard Rorty, international relations
scholars and foreign policy practitioners would have to forgo grand
theories, instead embracing a situationally-specific approach to
understanding and addressing emerging global problems.
Unfortunately, commentary on the relationship between philosophical
pragmatism and international relations has been limited. The
authors in Philosophical Pragmatism and International Relations
remedies this lacuna by exploring ways in which philosophical
pragmatism, both classic and contemporary, can inform international
relations theory and foreign policy practice today.
Pragmatism and the Philosophy of Sport explores the philosophical
significance of sport - the phenomenological experience, the
training, coaching, and the competition - from a uniquely pragmatic
angle of vision. The philosophical insights of John Dewey, William
James, C.S. Peirce, Jane Addams, and Josiah Royce shed new light on
the meaning of the physical practices that take place on our soccer
fields, national arenas, backyards, and playgrounds. Interestingly,
a close examination of these contemporary practices allows us to
understand a wide array of ethical, epistemological and
metaphysical commitments that the American pragmatic tradition has
articulated for more than a century. Pragmatism's insistence that
truth be embodied in the practical consequences of everyday life,
its balancing of communal and individual purposes, its emphasis on
the role of chance and spontaneity in experience - resonate with
the findings of modern kinesiology and sport science.
Idealism, Pragmatism, and Feminism provides an account of the life
and writings of Ella Lyman Cabot (1866-1934), a woman who received
formal training, but not formal recognition, in the field of
classical American philosophy. It highlights the themes of
idealism, pragmatism and feminism as they emerged in the course of
career as an educational reformer and ethicist that spanned nearly
four decades. Cabot's writings, developed in graduate seminars at
Harvard and Radcliffe at the turn of the century complement, and in
many cases anticipate, the thinking of the "fathers" of the
American philosophical cannon: Charles Sanders Peirce, Josiah
Royce, William James, and John Dewey. Her formal philosophical
writing focuses on the concepts of growth, creativity, and the
moral imagination-a fact that is especially interesting given that
these concepts are developed by a woman who faced serious obstacles
in her personal and intellectual development. Indeed, these
concepts are not merely philosophical ideals, but practical tools
that Ella Lyman Cabot used to negotiate the gender roles and
intellectual marginalization that she faces at the turn of the
century. The discipline of philosophy was very slow to incorporate
the insights of women into its self-definition. An analysis of the
writings of Ella Lyman Cabot reveals this point, but also the
pointed ways in which she sought to express her genuinely creative
insights.
Pragmatism and the Philosophy of Sport explores the philosophical
significance of sport - the phenomenological experience, the
training, coaching, and the competition - from a uniquely pragmatic
angle of vision. The philosophical insights of John Dewey, William
James, C.S. Peirce, Jane Addams, and Josiah Royce shed new light on
the meaning of the physical practices that take place on our soccer
fields, national arenas, backyards, and playgrounds. Interestingly,
a close examination of these contemporary practices allows us to
understand a wide array of ethical, epistemological and
metaphysical commitments that the American pragmatic tradition has
articulated for more than a century. Pragmatism's insistence that
truth be embodied in the practical consequences of everyday life,
its balancing of communal and individual purposes, its emphasis on
the role of chance and spontaneity in experience - resonate with
the findings of modern kinesiology and sport science.
Idealism, Pragmatism, and Feminism provides an account of the life
and writings of Ella Lyman Cabot (1866-1934), a woman who received
formal training, but not formal recognition, in the field of
classical American philosophy. It highlights the themes of
idealism, pragmatism and feminism as they emerged in the course of
career as an educational reformer and ethicist that spanned nearly
four decades. Cabot's writings, developed in graduate seminars at
Harvard and Radcliffe at the turn of the century complement, and in
many cases anticipate, the thinking of the "fathers" of the
American philosophical cannon: Charles Sanders Peirce, Josiah
Royce, William James, and John Dewey. Her formal philosophical
writing focuses on the concepts of growth, creativity, and the
moral imagination a fact that is especially interesting given that
these concepts are developed by a woman who faced serious obstacles
in her personal and intellectual development. Indeed, these
concepts are not merely philosophical ideals, but practical tools
that Ella Lyman Cabot used to negotiate the gender roles and
intellectual marginalization that she faces at the turn of the
century. The discipline of philosophy was very slow to incorporate
the insights of women into its self-definition. An analysis of the
writings of Ella Lyman Cabot reveals this point, but also the
pointed ways in which she sought to express her genuinely creative
insights."
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