Pragmatism
"On the pragmatic view I am putting forward, what we call "increased knowledge" should not be thought of as increased access to the Real, but as increased ability to do things -- to take part in social practices that make possible richer and fuller human lives."
-Richard Rorty, from Philosophy as Cultural Politics
Pragmatism as embraced by Pragmatic Buddhism includes classical American pragmatism and neopragmatism. These two branches of the pragmatic perspective share an equal emphasis with our embracement of traditional Buddhism in the thought and practice at CPB. American pragmatism is a system of philosophy that values practical application and function over theory as a way to solve human problems. It stems directly from great thinkers such as William James, Charles Peirce, John Dewey, Charles Horton Cooley, A. N. Whitehead and George Herbert Mead.
Neopragmatism is most commonly associated with the late Richard Rorty, an internationally recognized philosopher, whose work emphasized the social and creative aspects of language. Neopragmatism rest on the idea of antifoundationalism, the idea that there is no privileged vocabulary or way of speaking or believing. Language is purely relational and does not "mirror" nature, or escape its own unique historical and cultural situation. Through the neopragmatism of the late Richard Rorty, the Center for Pragmatic Buddhism is developing an "American" approach to Buddhism, having revised the language employed to describe Pragmatic Buddhism and having embraced an indigenous system of thought alongside traditional Buddhism. This position is liberating, as it allows us the ability to redescribe our selves and our society through the playful and creative use of an ever-shifting language. Impermanence must indeed be applied to all things, including our forms of Buddhism.
All major forms of Buddhism alive and well today have survived by synthesizing a traditional approach with a novel, indigenous worldview; at CPB we have chosen to embrace American pragmatism and neopragmatism. Just as Buddhism emphasizes impermanence (anicca), unsatisfactoriness (dukkha), selflessness (anatman), Pragmatism emphasizes contingency, openness and antifoundationalism (no essence or underlying substance). Both Buddhism and Pragmatism reject metaphysics, dualism and extremism (dogma), and instead embrace a "middle way."
"On the pragmatic view I am putting forward, what we call "increased knowledge" should not be thought of as increased access to the Real, but as increased ability to do things -- to take part in social practices that make possible richer and fuller human lives."
-Richard Rorty, from Philosophy as Cultural Politics
Pragmatism as embraced by Pragmatic Buddhism includes classical American pragmatism and neopragmatism. These two branches of the pragmatic perspective share an equal emphasis with our embracement of traditional Buddhism in the thought and practice at CPB. American pragmatism is a system of philosophy that values practical application and function over theory as a way to solve human problems. It stems directly from great thinkers such as William James, Charles Peirce, John Dewey, Charles Horton Cooley, A. N. Whitehead and George Herbert Mead.
Neopragmatism is most commonly associated with the late Richard Rorty, an internationally recognized philosopher, whose work emphasized the social and creative aspects of language. Neopragmatism rest on the idea of antifoundationalism, the idea that there is no privileged vocabulary or way of speaking or believing. Language is purely relational and does not "mirror" nature, or escape its own unique historical and cultural situation. Through the neopragmatism of the late Richard Rorty, the Center for Pragmatic Buddhism is developing an "American" approach to Buddhism, having revised the language employed to describe Pragmatic Buddhism and having embraced an indigenous system of thought alongside traditional Buddhism. This position is liberating, as it allows us the ability to redescribe our selves and our society through the playful and creative use of an ever-shifting language. Impermanence must indeed be applied to all things, including our forms of Buddhism.
All major forms of Buddhism alive and well today have survived by synthesizing a traditional approach with a novel, indigenous worldview; at CPB we have chosen to embrace American pragmatism and neopragmatism. Just as Buddhism emphasizes impermanence (anicca), unsatisfactoriness (dukkha), selflessness (anatman), Pragmatism emphasizes contingency, openness and antifoundationalism (no essence or underlying substance). Both Buddhism and Pragmatism reject metaphysics, dualism and extremism (dogma), and instead embrace a "middle way."
