Ideas from 'Pragmatism in Retrospect' by Charles Sanders Peirce [1906], by Theme Structure

[found in 'Philosophical Writings of Peirce' by Peirce,Charles Sanders (ed/tr Buchler,Justus) [Dover 1940,0-486-20217-8]].

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3. Truth / E. Pragmatic Truth / 1. Pragmatic Truth

14796

Independent truth (if there is any) is the ultimate result of sufficient enquiry

			Full Idea: I hold that truth's independence of individual opinions is due (so far as there is any 'truth') to its being the predestined result to which sufficient enquiry would ultimately lead.
			From: Charles Sanders Peirce (Pragmatism in Retrospect [1906], p.288)

15335

Peirce's theory offers anti-realist verificationism, but surely how things are is independent of us?

			Full Idea: Peirce's anti-realist theory of a truth is a verificationist theory. Truth is judged to be an epistemic notion. But the way things are is independent of the evidence we may be able to obtain for or against a judgement.
			From: comment on Charles Sanders Peirce (Pragmatism in Retrospect [1906]) by Leon Horsten - The Tarskian Turn 02.1
			A reaction: This criticism doesn't quite capture the point that Peirce's theory is that truth is an ideal, not the set of opinions that miserable little humans eventually settle for when they get bored. Truth is an aspect of rationality, perhaps.

12. Knowledge Sources / D. Empiricism / 3. Pragmatism

14795

Pragmatism is a way of establishing meanings, not a theory of metaphysics or a set of truths

			Full Idea: Pragmatism is no doctrine of metaphysics, no attempt to determine the truth of things. It is merely a method of ascertaining the meanings of hard words and of abstract concepts.
			From: Charles Sanders Peirce (Pragmatism in Retrospect [1906], p.271)
			A reaction: Suddenly I recognise a prominent strand of modern philosophy of language (especially in America) for what it is.