What does it mean to be a pragmatist? How come an actual attitude towards knowledge becomes a philosophical school? This is what William James develops throughout eight one hour lectures given at the Lowell Institute (Boston) in 1906.

Throughout these lectures, James explores different aspects of the pragmatic thinking, how it relates to different schools of thought and how it distinguishes itself in terms of its results. Be it in the domain of the classic philosophical disciplines, such as metaphysics or epistemology (in its striving to come up with a workable definition of truth), be it dealing with more down to earth matters, such as common sense and even religion, James guides his listeners/readers through a superbly reasoned journey in defense of pragmatism as a genuine philosophical school of thought worth of study and practice.

If you’re interested in learning what makes pragmatism one of the great contenders in the philosophical arena, this is an essential book, one of the best introductions to this topic. Give it a try and maybe you’ll discover how much philosophy has to offer on a practical level.