Scott Pratt on the Uses of an Absolute Pragmatism

Scott Pratt has argued that we might turn to Josiah Royce for a version of pragmatism that would underwrite decisive political action in troubling times. In the background of his proposal lies the hope that philosophers might do more to combat things like climate change, incarceration, or authoritarianism. I reply by considering the political position of philosophers who are employees of public universities, and I present some skeptical qualifications to his argument. Royce himself serves as a classic example of the philosopher as a professional, and it is no coincidence that he was also a defender of the political status quo of his time.