Studies in Pragmatism . Volume 2

A set of studies of various ideas and theories that play a key role in traditional pragmatism and are important for the idealistic pragmatism Nicholas Rescher long was engaged in developing. Preface Chapter 1: Pragmatism and Practical Rationality 1. Functionalist Pragmatism 2. The Ramification of Purpose 3. Evaluative Rationality and Appropriate Ends: Against the Humean Conception of Reason 4. The Crucial Role of Interests and Nedds: Wants and Preferences are not Enough 5 Practical Rationality Encompasses Theoretical Rationality 6. The Pragmatic Aspect of Inquiry 7. The Primacy of Practice Chapter 2: Knowledge of the Truth in Pragmatic Perspective 1. Internal Realism and Truth as (Available) Warrant 2. Interdependency Problems 3. A Different Approach: Methodological Pragmatism 4. Validation Issues 5. Being "Realistic" (in Both Senses) Chapter 3: Pragmatism in the Twentieth Century 1. Introduction 2. Brief Historical Overview 3. The Writers Present Position Chapter 4: Pragmatism at the Crossroads 1. The Guiding Idea of the Pragmatic Program 2. The Jamesean Transformation and its Aftermath 3. Postmodern Pragmatism and its Contrary 4. A Return to the Peircean Roots 5. Summation 6. The Turn to Methodological Pragmatism Chapter 5: Immediate Experience and Ontology: A Functional Perspective on Philosophical Realism 1. Experience is Always Someone’s Personal Experience 2. There is no Logically Compelling Transit From Personal Experience to Objective Fact 3. Interpersonal Discourse Demends Objectivity 4. Objectivity and Postulation 5. The Functionalistic Rationale of Realism 6. Experience and the Rationale of Realism 7. Truth, Systematization, and Difficulties with Inference to the Best Explanation Chapter 6: Pragmatic Realism: A Practicalistic Perspective on Philosophical Realism 1. Realism in its Regulatice/Pragmatic Aspect 2. Realism as a Requisite of Communication and Inquiry 3. The Utilitarian Imperative 4. Retrojustification: The Wisdom of Hindsight 5. More on Retrojustification: The Closing of the Cycles Chapter 7: Pragmatic Idealism and Metaphysical Realism 1. The Existential Component of Realism 2. Realism in its Regulative/Pragmatic Aspect 3. The Role of Presumption 4. The Role of Retrovalidation 5. Retrospect Chapter 8: Counterfactuals in Pragmatic Perspective 1. Historical Stagesetting 2. Belief-Contravening Supposition: How Apories Arise in Hypothetical Contexts 3. The Centrality of Precedence (Right of Way) 4. Logic as Such does not Resolve Matters 5. Reductio ad Absurdum Argumentation 6. Evidential Contexts 7. The Situation in Philosophy 8. Broader Implications 9. Making Sense of Counterfactuals