The Cambridge Companion to Peirce

Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914) is generally considered the most significant American philosopher. He was the founder of pragmatism, the view popularized by William James and John Dewey, that our philosophical theories must be linked to experience and practice. The essays in this volume reveal how Peirce worked through this idea to make important contributions to most branches of philosophy. The topics covered include Peirce’s influence; the famous pragmatic maxim and the view of truth and reality arising from it; the question as to whether mathematical, moral and religious hypotheses might aspire to truth; his theories of inquiry and perception; and his contribution to semiotics, statistical inference and deductive logic. New readers will find this the most convenient and accessible guide to Peirce currently available. Advanced students and specialists will find a conspectus of recent developments in the interpretation of Peirce.

• Has standard Companion virtues of being accessible, systematic and comprehensive • Louis Menand’s recent bestseller, The Metaphysical Club, has rekindled interest in Peirce and American philosophy

1. Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914) Cheryl Misak; 2. Peirce’s place in the pragmatist tradition Sami Philstrom; 3. Peirce and medieval thought John Boler; 4. Reflections on inquiry and truth arising from Peirce’s method for the fixation of belief David Wiggins; 5. Truth, reality and convergence Christopher Hookway; 6. C. S. Peirce on vital matters Cheryl Misak; 7. Peirce’s common sense marriage of religion and science Douglas Anderson; 8. Peirce’s pragmatic account of perception: issues and implications Sandra Rosenthal; 9. The development of Peirce’s theory of signs T. L. Short; 10. Peirce’s semiotic model of the mind Peter Skagested; 11. Beware of syllogism: statistical reasoning and conjecturing according to Peirce Isaac Levi; 11. Peirce’s deductive logic: its development, influence and philosophical significance Randall Dipert.

\'This work will appeal to students and academics alike, and is recommended for all libraries collecting material in philosophy and the history of ideas.\'

– Reference Reviews