F.C.S. Schiller and the Dawn of Pragmatism

The Rhetoric of a Philosophical Rebel

Mark J. Porrovecchio

The intellectual history of pragmatism traditionally posits that its origins are found in the works of C. S. Peirce, William James, and John Dewey. What if that story is only partially true? Ferdinand Canning Scott Schiller, the foremost first generation British pragmatist, was one of the most vocal proponents of pragmatism in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He penned over a dozen books, authored hundreds of essays and reviews, and sought to popularize the philosophy of practicalism. Yet in the years before and after his death, both he and his critics engaged in arguments that helped to erase him from the story of pragmatism.

F. C. S. Schiller and the Dawn of Pragmatism: The Rhetoric of a Philosophical Rebel, by Mark J. Porrovecchio, is the first comprehensive biography of Schiller ever undertaken. It seeks to answer questions like: Why were Schiller's own arguments used against him? Why were his interests, philosophical and otherwise, central to his erasure? Why would the pragmatism of today gain by reclaiming a neglected figure from its past? A crucial part of understanding those questions relates to the rhetorical strategies at play in the arguments Schiller made.

Pragmatism today is a vital and vibrant part of interdisciplinary discussions that range from philosophy, to religion, to science, to politics. But it is intellectually incomplete and historically inaccurate. Reclaiming Schiller means asking hard questions about the functions and scope of pragmatism. Though the answers will not suit everyone, they will help to make pragmatism—past, present, and future—more honest, more engaging, and more interesting.

Lexington Books

Pages: 402 • Trim: 6½ x 9½

978-0-7391-6588-1 • Hardback • September 2011 • $162.00 • (£125.00)

978-0-7391-6590-4 • eBook • November 2011 • $153.50 • (£119.00)

Subjects: Philosophy / Movements / Pragmatism, Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication Studies, Language Arts & Disciplines / Rhetoric, Philosophy / American Philosophy

F.C.S. Schiller and the Dawn of Pragmatism

The Rhetoric of a Philosophical Rebel

Hardback

eBook

Summary

The intellectual history of pragmatism traditionally posits that its origins are found in the works of C. S. Peirce, William James, and John Dewey. What if that story is only partially true? Ferdinand Canning Scott Schiller, the foremost first generation British pragmatist, was one of the most vocal proponents of pragmatism in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He penned over a dozen books, authored hundreds of essays and reviews, and sought to popularize the philosophy of practicalism. Yet in the years before and after his death, both he and his critics engaged in arguments that helped to erase him from the story of pragmatism.

F. C. S. Schiller and the Dawn of Pragmatism: The Rhetoric of a Philosophical Rebel, by Mark J. Porrovecchio, is the first comprehensive biography of Schiller ever undertaken. It seeks to answer questions like: Why were Schiller's own arguments used against him? Why were his interests, philosophical and otherwise, central to his erasure? Why would the pragmatism of today gain by reclaiming a neglected figure from its past? A crucial part of understanding those questions relates to the rhetorical strategies at play in the arguments Schiller made.

Pragmatism today is a vital and vibrant part of interdisciplinary discussions that range from philosophy, to religion, to science, to politics. But it is intellectually incomplete and historically inaccurate. Reclaiming Schiller means asking hard questions about the functions and scope of pragmatism. Though the answers will not suit everyone, they will help to make pragmatism—past, present, and future—more honest, more engaging, and more interesting.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 402 • Trim: 6½ x 9½

978-0-7391-6588-1 • Hardback • September 2011 • $162.00 • (£125.00)

978-0-7391-6590-4 • eBook • November 2011 • $153.50 • (£119.00)

Subjects: Philosophy / Movements / Pragmatism, Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication Studies, Language Arts & Disciplines / Rhetoric, Philosophy / American Philosophy

Author

Mark J. Porrovecchio is director of forensics and assistant professor in the Department of Speech Communication at Oregon State University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Acknowledgments
Chapter 2 Foreword, by Steve Fuller
Chapter 3 Introduction: The Disappearance of a Pragmatist
Chapter 4 Chapter One: Evolution and the Spirit 1882–1897
Chapter 5 Chapter Two: The Psychology of Pragmatism 1898–1905
Chapter 6 Chapter Three: The Mettle of Humanism 1906–1910
Chapter 7 Chapter Four: The Long Shadow 1911–1919
Chapter 8 Chapter Five: The Risks of Doubt 1920–1926
Chapter 9 Chapter Six: Out of the Light, Into the Cave 1927–1937
Chapter 10 Conclusion: The Pragmatism of Appearances
Chapter 11 Bibliography
Chapter 12 Index
Chapter 13 About the Author

F.C.S. Schiller and the Dawn of Pragmatism

The Rhetoric of a Philosophical Rebel

Mark J. Porrovecchio

F.C.S. Schiller and the Dawn of Pragmatism

The Rhetoric of a Philosophical Rebel

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