Pragmatic Pluralisms and Religious Diversities: Toward Diapractice
American Journal of Theology and Philosophy June 6, 2019 DOI: 10.5406/amerjtheophil.40.1.0020 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that pragmatism's emphasis on the primacy of practice provides a valuable building block for addressing religious diversity, and contends that pragmatists treat pluralism as a default stance in which similarities are as puzzling as diversities, a position the author attributes to William James. |
Abstract
in recent decades, American pragmatism has become an increasingly important voice in Anglo-American philosophy of religion.1 The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this ongoing development by approaching religious diversities through pragmatism’s emphasis on the primacy of practice. i will not put forward a full-blown pragmatic philosophy of religious diversity, but rather offer one essential building block to use in a more comprehensive edifice.2 for pragmatists, pluralism is generally a default stance, and similarities are often just as puzzling and alarming as diversities. William James articulates this stance well in The Varieties of Religious Experience: