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American Pragmatism, Sociology and the Development of Disability Studies
William JAMES placed a different emphasis on pragmatism than did
PIERCE. JAMES stressed praxis, the practical consequences of
believing in a particular concept or social policy. In discussing the
complexities of metaphysical and moral questions, he says, for
example: “The pragmatic method in such cases is to try to
interpret each notion by tracing its respective practical consequences”
(JAMES 1907:28). JAMES also recognized that there
might not be scientific evidence to settle every dispute. Therefore,
he posited that “religious beliefs” which in principle cannot be
verified or falsified are often used to make decisions because they
fit with the believer’s life and have practical consequences. He also
supported the notion that truth is socially constructed and can
change over time. Both his emphasis on “religious beliefs” and the
social construction of truth acknowledge the subjective and relative
aspects of knowledge. JAMES’ brand of pragmatism opens the door
to later explorations of the subjective meanings of experience.
John DEWEY and F.C.S. SCHILLER moved pragmatism in an
increasingly activist direction. DEWEY did not engage in the “quest
for certainty” that captured the attention of PIERCE. Instead, he
recognized that knowing is intimately related to practice (DEWEY
1910). He was a reformist in that he advocated that good theories
are based in practice and are modified as experience with a
program demonstrates the success or failure of an idea. SCHILLER
(1864-1937) is more revolutionary than DEWEY. He acknowledges
the social construction of reality by arguing that truth is relative
and means “valued by us.” A proposition is true if it “forwards our
ends” (SCHILLER 1907: 8). In terms of social activism, SCHILLER
pointed out how values and subjective experience color what we
think of as being true or right.
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