Victor Nuovo: James saw a pluralistic universe

32nd in a seriesWilliam James was an American hero. He displayed boundless energy, which was more willed than natural, and he was driven by an insatiable desire for knowledge, which he pursued relentlessly in spite of chronic ill health (a weak and failing heart, and recurring episodes of depression). His writings are testimonies to his indomitable will and extraordinary courage.The tragedy of William James’s life is that he did not live to finish his life’s work. He aimed to create a philosophical system. … (read more)

31st in a seriesWhat is truth? How would you answer this question? You may find it a greater challenge than at first imagined, for truth is one of those words whose meaning we are sure we know until challenged to define it. In our everyday experience we h … (read more)

30th in a seriesWilliam James (1842–1910) is surely the most celebrated of American philosophers, and, in the light of his achievement, he is justly celebrated. He is the quintessential American thinker. Although his mind may not have been as acute and as … (read more)