Exploring a unique strain of American thought, the book builds on Stanley Cavell's revisionist perspective, emphasizing a distinctly American Romanticism. Russell Goodman delves into how this philosophical approach shapes cultural and intellectual landscapes, offering insights into the complexities of American identity and thought.
This book explores Wittgenstein's long engagement with the work of the pragmatist William James. In contrast to previous discussions Russell Goodman argues that James exerted a distinctive and pervasive positive influence on Wittgenstein's thought. The book shows that both share commitments to anti-foundationalism, to the description of the concrete details of human experience, and to the priority of practice over intellect. Considering in detail what Wittgenstein learnt from his reading of William James the author provides considerable evidence for Wittgenstein's claim that he is saying "something that sounds like pragmatism".
Russell Goodman tells the story of the development of philosophy in America from the mid-18th century to the late 19th century. The key figures, including Franklin, Jefferson, Emerson, and Thoreau, were not professors but men of the world, whose deep influence on American thought brought philosophy together with religion, politics, and literature.