Deck 15: The Pragmatist: William James

Question 1

Much of James' work is couched in feminine terms.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

James taught and liked Teddy Roosevelt.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

William James and Henry James, the novelist, were brothers.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

William James said that as a rule we disbelieve any facts that are not useful to us.

Question 5

Most early pragmatists were Scottish.

Question 6

Pragmatism is a male philosophy.

Question 7

James gave credit for his success to his brother.

Question 8

James was invited to give the Gifford lectures in Scotland.

Question 9

James believed that it was impossible to be too sentimental.

Question 10

The word "pragmatism" is from the Greek for "deed."

Question 11

William James was a pragmatist.

Question 12

James was affiliated with Harvard for all his professional life.

Question 13

James was on the verge of suicide as a student.

Question 14

Pragmatism is a rationalist philosophy.

Question 15

William James attended Harvard.

Question 16

James called on individuals to be consciously responsible for their lives.

Question 17

Peirce endorsed James' version of pragmatism.

Question 18

James was an important figure in the early history of modern psychology.

Question 19

The first expression of pragmatism appears in the work of C. S. Peirce.

Question 20

James was never a product of his times in any way.

Question 21

What settles our opinions, according to James?

A) Truth
B) Society
C) The will to power
D) The will to believe

Question 22

James saw pragmatism primarily as a collection of truths.

Question 23

Peirce claimed that the only differences between the meanings of words arose from their etymology.

Question 24

Which philosophical approach contradicts itself?

A) pragmatism
B) pragmaticism
C) strict relativism
D) act utilitarianism

Question 25

William James held that all of our scientific ideals are

A) mistaken
B) correct
C) drains to confusion
D) altars to gods

Question 26

Who did James think had historically dominated philosophy?

A) Pragmatists
B) Empiricists
C) Moderates
D) Extremists

Question 27

James used pragmatism to reject religion.

Question 28

Peirce rejected the views of the empiricists.

Question 29

"Pragma" means "an act" or "without consequences. "

Question 30

Peirce wanted to develop a philosophy free of meaningless abstractions.

Question 31

What is not a tender-minded trait?

A) Fatalistic
B) Religious
C) Monistic
D) Idealistic

Question 32

How many temperamental types did James identify?

A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5

Question 33

Peirce advocated pragmaticism.

Question 34

Pragmatism has no theory of meaning.

Question 35

What does life present us with, according to James?

A) Truth
B) Meaning
C) Forced options
D) Voluntary choices

Question 36

James saw pragmatism as a

A) collection of beliefs
B) method
C) will to power
D) source of confusion

Question 37

According to James, one of the regular fruits of overstudious philosophy is

A) wisdom
B) religion
C) skepticism
D) reality

Question 38

What is not a tough-minded trait?

A) Pluralistic
B) Skeptical
C) Empiricist
D) Optimistic

Question 39

James referred to theories as "conceptual shorthand."

Question 40

James held that the philosophy that is important to us is a technical matter.

Question 41

What, according to James, are vital elements of the good life?

A) Struggle and love
B) Struggle and effort
C) Effort and love
D) Love and religion

Question 42

What did James believe we have a basic obligation to do?

A) Be egoistic
B) Be utilitarians
C) Maximize satisfactions
D) Maximize frustrations

Question 43

For James, truth is always

A) clear
B) personal
C) difficult
D) pleasant

Question 44

Do you believe that you have free will? Justify your view, taking into account the arguments of both James and Stace as you do so.

Question 45

What creates truth, according to James?

A) Life
B) Religion
C) Belief
D) Will

Question 46

How do the views of James and Peirce differ? Which do you think is the most persuasive and why?

Question 47

Do you believe that pragmatism is a subjective approach to philosophy? Explain your answer.

Question 48

How many times must sick souls be born, according to James?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 4

Question 49

Which two beliefs are unprovable?

A) Free will and determinism
B) Free will and causation
C) Causation and determinism
D) Causation and truth

Question 50

What is man a subject for, according to Mark Twain?

A) Punishment
B) Blame
C) Pity
D) Love

Question 51

What can be proved, according to James?

A) Nothing
B) That we have free will
C) That God exists
D) Morality

Question 52

Which tradition's emphasis on strength of will did James admire?

A) The Epicurean tradition
B) The Christian tradition
C) The Stoic tradition
D) The Aristotelian tradition

Question 53

What is "pragmatic truth"?

A) Human truth
B) Empirical truth
C) Subjective value
D) Objective value

Question 54

What according to James is a necessary condition for moral responsibility?

A) Free will
B) Compatibilism
C) Determinism
D) God

Question 55

Is science any more objective than religion, according to James? What implications might his view have for current discussions on teaching creationism in science classes? Do you agree with James here?

Question 56

Who claimed that the problem of free will was not a real one?

A) James
B) Russell
C) Stace
D) Peirce

Question 57

What is individual action, according to Peirce?

A) Impossible
B) An end
C) A means
D) Necessary

Question 58

The view that everything that happens is governed by cause and effect and follows the laws of nature, so that it must happen just as it does, is called

A) Libertarianism
B) Compatibilism
C) Determinism
D) Freedom

Question 59

Rationalists believe that truth is

A) Universal
B) Dependent
C) Subjective
D) Context dependent

Question 60

Which of the four major ancient schools of thought is James' pragmatism closest to? In answering this question you should outline the relevant aspects of each school of thought, and show how it is similar to, or different from, that of James' pragmatism.

Question 61

Outline the pragmatic method. Do you think that this would be useful in your own life? Explain your answer.

Question 62

Outline the distinction between being "healthy-minded" and "morbid-minded." Do you believe that this is (a) an accurate distinction and (b) a useful one?

Question 63

Of the three theories of truth that you have encountered so far in this volume, which do you believe is the most accurate and why? Explain your answer, outlining each of the three theories of truth as you do so.