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Pragmatism

William James Society   

Charlene Haddock Seigfried
Professor of Philosophy and American Studies
Purdue University
Philosophy Department
100 N. University St.
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2067
Office: (765) 494-4276
Home: (847) 328-1979
Email: seigfrie@purdue.edu

• Specialization Areas: American Philosophy, Pragmatism, Feminist Theory
• Topics: Social and Political Philosophy; Pragmatist Metaphysics, Theory of Knowledge, and Value Theory
• Areas of Competence: Nineteenth Century Philosophy

• Purdue University, Professor, 1991 to present, Associate Professor, 1983-91, Assistant Professor, 1979-83.
• Loyola University of Chicago, Lecturer, 1973-78.
• Oakton Community College, Instructor, 1976-78.
• Mayfair College, Chicago, Assistant Professor in Humanities, Spring, 1976

• American Studies Graduate Faculty
• Women's Studies Committee
• Philosophy and Literature

• Herbert W. Schneider Award, 2009. ‘For distinguished contribution to the understanding and development of American Philosophy.’ Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy.
• John Dewey Lecturer for 2007 and 1998, awarded by the John Dewey Society.
• Fellow, Center for Humanistic Studies, Purdue, Spring, 2005, Spring, 1998, Spring, 1991, and Fall, 1987.
• X-L Grant, Purdue Research Foundation, Summer, 1985.
• Kellogg National Fellowship, (released time) 1980-83.
• Post-Doctoral Fellow, Northwestern University, 1978-1979.
• Summer Institute on the Newtonian and Darwinian Revolutions in American Intellectual History, Haverford College, July-August, 1979.

• Feminist Interpretations of John Dewey. Ed., Re-Reading the Canon series, University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002.

• Pragmatism and Feminism: Reweaving the Social Fabric. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996.

• William James's Radical Reconstruction of Philosophy. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1990.

• Chaos and Context: A Study in William James. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press, 1978.

• Sympathetic Understanding and Cooperative Inquiry: Jane Addams' Social Philosophy.

• "The Courage of One's Convictions or the Conviction of One's Courage? Jane Addams's Principled Compromises," in Wendy Chmielewski, Marilyn Fischer, and Carol Nackenoff, eds., Jane Addams and the Practice of Democracy. University of Illinois Press, 2009, pp. 40-62.

• "Thinking Desire: Taking Perspectives Seriously," Reconstructing Democracy, Recontextualizing Dewey: Pragmatism and Interactive Constructivism in the Twenty-First Century. Jim Garrison, ed. SUNY Press, 2008, pp. 137-155.

• "Learning from Experience: Jane Addams's Education in Democracy as a Way of Life," in David T. Hansen, ed. Ethical Visions of Education: Philosophies in Practice. New York: Teachers College Press, 2007, pp. 83-94.

• "The Dilemma of Democracy: Diversity of Interests and Common Experiences," in Alfonso Morales, ed., Renascent Pragmatism: Studies in Law and Social Science. Brookfield, VT: Ashgate, 2003, 31-48.

• Introduction to Jane Addams, Democracy and Social Ethics. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2002, ix-xxxviii.

• Introduction to Jane Addams, The Long Road of Women's Memory. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2002, ix-xxxiv.

• "Beyond Epistemology: From A Pragmatist Feminist Experiential Standpoint," in Nancy Tuana and Sandi Morgen, eds., Engendering Rationalities. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2001, pp. 99-121.

• "James: Sympathetic Apprehension of the Point of View of the Other," in Sandra B. Rosenthal, Carl R. Hausman, and Douglas R. Anderson, eds., Classical American Pragmatism: Its Contemporary Vitality. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1999, pp. 85-98.

• "Feminism and the Writings of American Women," Introduction and editing selections, in John J. Stuhr, ed. Pragmatism and Classical American Philosophy: Essential Readings and Interpretive Essays. 2nd ed., revised. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1999.

• "Feminist Perspectives on Pragmatism," in Alison M. Jaggar and Iris Young, eds. A Companion to Feminist Philosophy. Oxford: Blackwell, 1998, pp. 49-57.

• "John Dewey's Pragmatist Feminism," in Larry A. Hickman, ed. Reading Dewey: Interpretations for a Postmodern Generation. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1998, pp. 187-216.

• Introduction to new edition of The Thought and Character of William James, by Ralph Barton Perry. Nashville and London: Vanderbilt University Press, 1996, pp. ix-xvii.

• "Individual Feeling and Universal Validity," (with Hans H. Seigfried), in Steven Mailloux, ed., Rhetoric, Pragmatism, Sophistry. Cambridge University Press, 1995, pp. 139-154.

• "Devising Ends Worth Striving For," in Andrew R. Smith and Lenore Langsdorf, eds., Recovering Pragmatism's Voice: The Classical Tradition, Rorty, and the Philosophy of Communication. State University of New York Press, 1995, pp. 115-128.

• "Waging War for all Things Bright and Beautiful & A Little Profit on the Side: On Brecht's Mother Courage," in John T. Trahey, ed., Dramatic Art: Creative Power for Justice and Peace. Chicago: Traditional Arts Press, 1994, pp. 13-27.

• "Validating Women's Experiences Pragmatically," in John J. Stuhr, ed., Philosophy and the Reconstruction of Culture: Pragmatic Essays After Dewey. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1993, pp. 111-129.

• "The World We Practically Live In," in Margaret E. Donnelly, ed., Reinterpreting the Legacy of William James. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Assoc. Press, 1992, pp. 77-89.

• "Like Bridges Without Piers: Beyond the Foundationalist Metaphor," in Tom Rockmore and Beth J. Singer, eds., Anti-Foundationalism Old and New. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1992, pp. 143-164.

• "James's 'Natural History' Methodology: Empiricist or Phenomenological?," in Robert W. Burch and Herman J. Saatkamp, Jr., eds., Frontiers in American Philosophy. Texas A & M University Press, 1992, pp. 230-239.

• "Pragmatism, Feminism, and Sensitivity to Context," in Mary M. Brabeck, ed., Who Cares? Theory, Research, and Educational Implications of the Ethic of Care. New York: Praeger, 1989, pp. 63-83.

• "Hodgson's Influence on James's Organization of Experience," in R. S. Corrington, C. Hausman, T. M. Seebohm, eds., Pragmatism Considers Phenomenology. Washington D.C.: Center for Advanced Research in Phenomenology, 1987, pp. 187-202.

• "On the Metaphysical Foundations of Scientific Psychology," in Michael H. DeArmey and Stephen Skousgaard, eds., The Philosophical Psychology of William James. Washington, D.C.: Center for Advanced Research in Phenomenology, 1986, pp. 57-72.

• "Beyond Humanism: Nietzsche's Idea of the Overman," co-author with H. Seigfried, in H. H. Loiskandl, ed., Man in Society: Facts and Visions, Dubuque: Kendall/Hunt, 1971, pp. 181-201.

‘A Pragmatist Response to Death: Jane Addams on the Permanent and the Transient,’ JSP, 21:2(2007), 133-141.

‘The Dangers of Unilateralism,’ Special issue on Feminist Perspectives on Peace and War: Before and After 9-11, NWSA Journal, 18:3 (Fall, 2006), 20-32.

‘Ghosts Walking Underground: Dewey's Vanishing Metaphysics,’ Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society, 40:1(Winter, 2004), 1-29.

• "Has Passion a Place in Philosophy?" special issue on Philosophy in America at the Turn of the Century, A.P.A. Centennial Supplement, ed. Robert Audi, Journal of Philosophical Research (2003), 35-54.

• "Shedding Skins," Symposium on Shannon Sullivan's Living Across and Through Skins. Hypatia, 17:4(Fall, 2002), 173-86.

• "Can a 'Man-hating' Feminist also be a Pragmatist? On Charlotte Perkins Gilman." Special Issue on Pragmatist Feminism. Journal of Speculative Philosophy. 15:2(2001), 74-85.

• "Pragmatist Metaphysics? Why Terminology Matters," Transactions Charles S. Peirce Society. 37:1 (Winter, 2001), 13-21.

• "Feminist Ethics and the Sociality of Dewey's Moral Theory," Transactions Charles S. Peirce Society , 36:4 (Fall, 2000), 529-34.

• "Socializing Democracy: Jane Addams and John Dewey," Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 29:2(June, 1999), 207-230.

• "Experience, Anyone? Why Pragmatists Should Get Over the Realism/Anti-realism Debate," Intellectual History Newsletter, 20(1998), 24-32.

• "Perspectives on Pragmatism: A Reply to Lorraine Code," Radical Philosophy, 92(Nov/Dec 1998), 25-27.

• "Advancing American Philosophy," Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society, 34(Fall, 1998), 807-839.

• "Overcoming the Apathy Induced by the Current Irrelevance of Philosophy," Special Issue: Pragmatism and the Future of Philosophy, Journal of Speculative Philosophy, 12(1998), 98-113.

• "Classical American Philosophy's Invisible Women," Canadian Review of American Studies, Special Issue, Part I, (1992), 83-116 (actually published September, 1993).

• Guest editor for special issue on Pragmatism and Feminism, Hypatia, 8:2 (Spring, 1993). Includes "Shared Communities of Interest: Feminism and Pragmatism," pp. 1-14, and Archive Introductions and selections.

• "William James's Concrete Analysis of Experience," Monist, Special Issue: Pragmatism: A Second Look. 75:4 (Oct., 1992), pp. 538-550.

• "The Missing Perspective: Feminist Pragmatism," Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society, 27:4(Fall, 1991), 405-416.

• "Where Are All the Pragmatist Feminists?," Hypatia, 6:2(Summer, 1991), 1-20.

• "The Pragmatist Sieve of Concepts: Description Vs. Interpretation," The Journal of Philosophy, 87:11(Nov., 1990), 585-592.

• "Weaving Chaos into Order: A Radically Pragmatic Aesthetic," Philosophy and Literature, 14:1(1990), 108-116.

• "Poetic Invention and Scientific Observation: James's Model of 'Sympathetic Concrete Observation,'" Transactions C. S. Peirce Society, 26:1(Winter, 1990), 115-130.

• "William James's Phenomenological Methodology," Journal of the British Society for Phenomenology, 20:1(Jan., 1989), 62-76.

• "On the Significance of Schrift's Genealogy of Nietzsche's Philology," International Studies in Philosophy, 20:2(Summer, 1988), 97-103.

• "Feminist Aesthetics and Marginality," Resources for Feminist Research, Special Issue: New Feminist Research, 16:4(Dec., 1987), 10-15 [double columns].

• "Second Sex: Second Thoughts," Hypatia, in Women's Studies International Forum, 8:3(1985), 219-229.

• "Extending the Darwinian Model: James's Struggle with Royce and Spencer," Idealistic Studies, 14(Sept., 1984), 259-272.

• "Gender-Specific Values," The Philosophical Forum, 15(Summer, 1984), 425-442.

• "The Positivist Foundation in William James's Principles," The Review of Metaphysics, 37(March, 1984), 579-593.

• "The Philosopher's 'License:' William James and Common Sense," Transactions C. S. Peirce Society, 19(Summer, 1983), 273-290.

• "Vagueness and the Adequacy of Concepts: In Defense of William James's Picturesque Style," Philosophy Today, 26 (Winter, 1982), 357-367.

• "James's Reconstruction of Ordinary Experience," The Southern Journal of Philosophy, 19(Winter, 1981), 499-515.

• "The Structure of Experience for William James," Transactions C. S. Peirce Society, 12(Fall, 1976), 330-347.

• "Why Are Some Interpretations Better Than Others?" New Scholasticism, 49(Spring, 1975), 140-161.

• ‘Jane Addams,’ Blackwell Guide to American Philosophy, Armen T. Marsoobian and John Ryder, eds., Blackwell, Oxford, 2003. New Russian edition, Moscow, 2008, pp. 273-290.

• "Kantian Autonomy Fails to Fulfill the Conditions of Practical Rationality," Kant und die Berliner Aufklaerung. Akten des IX. Internationalen Kant-Kongresses, Band III: Sektionen VI-X. V. Gerhardt, R-P. Horstman, and R. Schumacher. ed. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 2001. Pp. 96-103.

• "Feminism and Pragmatism," for Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Supplement, Donald M. Borchert, ed., New York: Macmillan, 1996.

• Entries for THOMAS PAINE and PRAGMATISM for The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy, Robert Audi, ed., Cambridge University Press, 1995.

• Entry for WILLIAM JAMES, for A Companion to Metaphysics, Jaegwon Kim and Ernest Sosa, eds., Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1995.

• Entry for WILLIAM JAMES, PHILOSOPHER for the Encyclopedia of Time, under the auspices of International Society for the Study of Time, Sam Macey, ed., New York: Garland, 1994.

• William James Bibliography in The Philosophy of William James. Walter R. Corti, ed., Hamburg: Felix Meiner Verlag, 1976, pp. 385-393.

• "Context and Experience," Proceedings of the Fifth International Congress of Logic, Methodology, and Philosophy of Science, The University of W. Ontario, Aug. 27-Sept. 2, 1975, pp. 49-50 [double columns].

• "The Radical Evil in Human Nature," Gerhard Funke, ed., Akten des 4. Internationalen Kant-Kongresses, New York: Walter de Gruyter, 1974. Teil II.2, pp. 605-613.

42 refereed papers, including:

• Jane Addams: ‘Sympathetic Interpretation as Democratic Practice,’ Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy, Texas A&M, College Station, Texas, Mar., 12-14, 2009.

• ‘Constructing a Self: Jane Addams's Autobiographical Account of Twenty Years at Hull House,’ Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy, Michigan State University, E. Lansing, MI, Mar. 13-15, 2008.

• "Our Emotional and Practical Subjectivity: Taking Perspectives Seriously," Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy, University of Portland, Maine, Mar. 7-10, 2002.

• "The Dilemma of Democracy: Diversity of Interests and Common Experiences," Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy, Las Vegas, Mar. 11-13, 2001.

• "Jane Addams on Women's Memories: Disturbing Conventions," Society for the Study of Women Philosophers, APA, New York, Dec. 27-30, 2000.

• "Why Kantian Autonomy Cannot Fulfill the Conditions of Practical Rationality," Ninth International Kant Congress, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany, March 26-31, 2000.

• "Socializing Democracy: Jane Addams and John Dewey," Panel on New Directions in Pragmatist Research, Midwest Political Science Assoc., Chicago, April 15-17, 1999.

70 Invited papers, including:

• ‘Jane Addams: ‘Sympathetic Interpretation as Democratic Practice,’ University of South Columbia, South Carolina, March 28-29, 2009.

• ‘Distinguishng Myth from Reality: Are James' and Dewey's Pragmatic Tools Sufficient?’ Workshop on Pragmatism and the Ethics of Belief, Nordic Pragmatism Network, Jyvaskyla, Finland, Dec. 15-17, 2008.

• ‘Relating Identity and Diversity,’ Keynote Speaker for Conference on Identity and Social Transformation, CEPF / 08, Brno, Czech Republic, May 26-30, 2008.

• ‘Jane Addams and Hull House: A Community of Friends Building Community,’ Conferernce on Women and the Power of Friendship, 2007 Ikeda Forum for Intercultural Exchange, Boston Research Center, Cambridge, MA, Sept. 28-29, 2007.

• ‘Jane Addams on Why Differences Matter in a Democracy,’ International Conference, John Dewey: Reconstructing Democracy, University of Calabria, Cosenza-Rossano-Matera, Italy, May 23-26, 2007.

• ‘Differences as Revolutionary Forces,’ Plenary speaker for The Loyola Brennan Lectures Conference: Social Inquiry: Constructing the Political, Loyola University Chicago, March 15-18, 2007.

• ‘Thinking Desire: Taking Perspectives Seriously,’ International Conference on American and European Values: A Philosophical Rapproachement, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Opole University, Poland, June 21-24, 2005.

• ‘Pragmatism and Feminism-Past and Present,’ International Conference on John Dewey's Importance for Democracy and Education, Opening of the Dewey-Center, University of Cologne, Germany, April 28-29, 2005.

• ‘Is Prejudice Only a Passing Thought? Reflections on Subjectivity Without a Subject,’ International Conference on William James, The Sorbonne, Paris, France, Nov. 25-27, 2004.

• "Thinking Desire: Taking Perspectives Seriously," Penn State, State College, PA, July 28, 2003.

• "The Courage of One's Convictions or the Conviction of One's Courage? Jane Addams's Principled Compromises. "Keynote speaker, 29^th Annual Richard R. Baker Philosophy Colloquium "Exploring Jane Addams," University of Dayton, Ohio, Nov.8-9, 2002.

• "The Legacy of William James: No Dogmas and No Doctrines?" The Science of Religions Conference: One Hundred Years of William James' Varieties of Religious Experience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Apr. 12-13, 2002.

• "Has Passion a Place in Philosophy?" APA Centennial Session: Philosophy in America at the Turn of the Century. APA, San Francisco, March 29-31, 2001.

• "Back to the Future: Challenges for Pragmatism Today," for Conference on Pragmatism for the New Millennium, Greater Philadelphia Philosophy Consortium, Temple University, Philadelphia, Dec. 11, 1999.

• St. Joseph College, Orange, California, 1961-1965, B.A., English
• Loyola University, Chicago, 1968-73. M.A., Philosophy, 1970, Ph.D., Philosophy, 1973.

•Seminar on Jane Addams, St Mary's College, Notre Dame, IN, Apr. 21, 2009.

•Discussion Leader for Jane Addams's texts, Atlantic Coast Pragmatist meeting, University of South Columbia, South Carolina, March 28-29, 2009.

• Visiting Scholar to discuss pragmatic contributions to epistemology for fourth week of National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar on "Feminist Epistemologies," Penn State, State College, PA, July 26-29, 2003.

• Seminar on Social Inquiry in John Dewey and Jane Addams, with Hans Seigfried, Loyola University, The Sixth Annual Summer Institute in American Philosophy, University of Oregon, July 7-12, 2003.

• Seminar on Jane Addams, The Third Annual Summer Institute in American Philosophy, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, July 10-15, 2000.

• Guest Lecturer on Feminism, Course on American Philosophy, IUPUI, Indianapolis, April 12, 2000.

• William James Seminar at Summer Institute on Classical American Philosophy: Revisiting the Texts, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, July 22-28, 1998.

• Consultant (and speaker) for NEH Masterwork Study Seminar on "American Philosophy During the Nineteenth Century," Feb. 9, 1993, and "Pragmatism and Feminism," Dec., 1993, The Laboratory Schools, University of Chicago.

• Seminar leader for "Nurturing Intellectual Community," Summer Idea Seminar at St. Mary's College sponsored by the Lilly Faculty Development Project, St. Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana, August 10-14, 1992.

• American Philosophical Association:
    - Committee on the Status of Women, 2000-03;
    - Committee on the History of the Profession, 1996-continuing;
    - Central Division, Program Committee, 1997-98;
    - Advisory Committee to the Eastern Division Program Committee, 1990-93.
• Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy:
    - President, 1996-98;
    - Executive Committee, 1984-7, 1996-00;
    - Coss Lecture Committee Chair, 1999-continuing.
• Society for the Study of Women Philosophers:
    - Executive Board Member, 1994-2000; 2001-04, 2005-continuing
• William James Society:
    - President, 2004,
    - Vice President, 2003.
• Midwest Pragmatist Study Group, Co-organizer and chair, Loyola University, Chicago, 1997-2006.