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Evolution and the Founders of Pragmatism

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This is simply one of the most significant books published in the field of intellectual history since the end of World War II. First published in 1949 by Harvard, Wiener focuses upon the members of the so-called "Metaphysical Club" that convened in Cambridge MA during (roughly) 1871-75 and again from 1876 until 1879. The group was particularly interested in asssessing the impact of evolution on scientific and social thinking, including law. The primary members discussed are Charles Sanders Peirce, Chauncey Wright, William James, John Fiske (the Harvard historian), Nicholas St. John Green (lawyer and legal author), and Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. What a group of fascinating characters? The primary philosophical approach their discussions centered upon was what we now refer to as pragmatism--some say America's only original contribution to philosophy. An approach to social and scientific issues developed that was highly empirical, pluralistic, dismissive of moralist absolutes (more for some members than others), secular, democratic, and which reached out to embrace and study fields such as the new social sciences, particularly comparative anthropology (the work of Tylor in particular). This was especially a time of intellectual ferment, as reflected in the work of Maine, Buckle, Comte, Darwin and others. At around 300 pages, and so skillfully written that the reader hates to reach the end, this book serves as an invaluable introduction to this formative era of American intellectual development. I found that the Harper Torchbook edition in paper stood up very well to the passage of time and was a most attractive way to enjoy Wiener's insights.