| pretation; his combination of logical studies and the theory of signs with a comprehensive speculative philosophy is coming to be regarded as a bridge between critical and speculative philosophy. |
| On the British scene, doubts about the future of the linguistic approach to philosophy, plus the impetus given by Wittgenstein's emphasis in the later writings upon returning to direct experience for a "second look," are leading to a new concern for experience. There is now more talk than there has been for some time about having to force language to conform to experience rather than vice versa. It is likely, as James indeed predicted, that those who initially approached pragmatism in a patronizing way, declaring it to be merely a philosophy of expediency lacking in rigor, will end by claiming to have discovered its main contentions themselves. If this happens, we shall have to modify the old jest according to which philosophical ideas of European origin are said to go to America when they die. |
| As for the American philosophical situation, it is clear that we need to regain the boldness and independence of our classical thinkers. This is a very different matter from merely repeating their doctrines, although if we did only this it would not be worse, from an academic standpoint at any rate, than repeating, as is now generally done, the philosophical conclusions of Wittgenstein, Russell, and Moore. The main problem is that in America today philosophy has become so completely an academic affair, controlled by the philosophies of language and analysis, that there seems to be little room for new basic ideas that can be used to control our interpretation of a wide range of experience. The fact is that the majority of philosophers has neglected history, literature, religion, art, and even science, in their substantive content; in- |
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