The Commens Dictionary

Quote from ‘Issues of Pragmaticism’

Quote: 

Pragmaticism was originally enounced in the form of a maxim, as follows: Consider what effects that might conceivably have practical bearings you conceive the objects of your conception to have. Then, your conception of those effects is the whole of your conception of the object.

I will restate this in other words, since ofttimes one can thus eliminate some unsuspected source of perplexity to the reader. This time it shall be in the indicative mood, as follows: The entire intellectual purport of any symbol consists in the total of all general modes of rational conduct which, conditionally upon all the possible different circumstances and desires, would ensue upon the acceptance of the symbol.

Date: 
1905
References: 
CP 5.438
Citation: 
‘Pragmaticism’ (pub. 07.04.13-12:46). Quote in M. Bergman & S. Paavola (Eds.), The Commens Dictionary: Peirce's Terms in His Own Words. New Edition. Retrieved from http://www.commens.org/dictionary/entry/quote-issues-pragmaticism-3.
Posted: 
Apr 07, 2013, 12:46 by Sami Paavola
Last revised: 
Sep 17, 2017, 10:29 by Mats Bergman