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Haack on James on Individuals & History

By Lawrence Solum

Susan Haack (University of Miami - School of Law) has posted The Differences that Make a Difference: William James on the Importance of Individuals (European Journal of Pragmatism and American Philosophy, Vol. 2, p. 1, 2010) on SSRN. Here is the abstract:

William James?s "On the Importance of Individuals" (1890) is part of his contribution to the long-running late-nineteenth-century debate on the question of "great men" in history. C. S. Peirce also took an interest in this question, but from a statistical angle apparently at odds with James more intuitive, anecdotal approach. A comparative study, however, reveals the attractive possibility of combining ideas from Peirce and ideas from James to arrive at a subtler understanding of what statistical social-scientific study can, and what it cannot, do, and a more complete theory of inquiry that will accommodate both the individual contributions that James highlights, and the social mechanisms of correction and adjustment that Peirce stresses.

Full post as published by Legal Theory Blog on July 13, 2010 (boomark / email).