HOW ARE PRAGMATISM AND ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY UNIQUELY AMERICAN MOVEMENTS? AND WHAT ARE SOME IDEAS THAT MAKE THEM DIFFERENT FROM THE WAY EUROPEANS OF THE SAME PERIOD WERE THINKING?
Remember that in the US, we didn't have a King, or a strong central Church, so folks had no one to dictate what was to be. As a result, in the US various groups had various ideas, often divergent. Pragmatism developed: what can we agree to, in order to get something done? This was not the case in Europe.
I hardly agree that analytical philosophy was an American movement. It was an English speaking countries movement. Why? It was in the English speaking countries that language was viewed as word thoughts that meant what they said: Plain talk. Other countries had languages that used implied or inferred meanings. If you ever whisper secrets to a "friend" in France, or Italy, it is what you imply what is the message. In English speaking countries, you have to say it.
http://www.rbjones.com/rbjpub/philos/inter016.htm
Pragmatism and Analytic Philosophy are indeed uniquely American movements, primarily developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These philosophical schools share some common features that set them apart from the way Europeans were thinking during the same period.
1. Practical Orientations: Pragmatism and Analytic Philosophy emphasize a practical approach to philosophy. Rather than getting lost in abstract metaphysical or speculative debates, they focus on the practical consequences of ideas and the usefulness of theories. This reflects a distinctly American attitude towards problem-solving and a desire for practical results.
For example, Pragmatism, pioneered by thinkers like Charles S. Peirce, William James, and John Dewey, stresses the importance of understanding the practical implications and consequences of our beliefs and actions. It advocates for the evaluation of philosophical theories based on their practical success rather than their abstract truth.
2. Empirical Methodology: Both movements place great importance on empirical evidence and scientific inquiry. Pragmatism sees knowledge as grounded in experience and experimental investigation. Analytic Philosophy, influenced by the logical and scientific method, seeks clarity and precision in language and argumentation.
In contrast, European philosophy during the same period tended to focus more on abstract theories, grand metaphysical systems, and historical traditions. Thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and Arthur Schopenhauer were more concerned with exploring existential questions, the limits of knowledge, and intricate systems of thought.
3. Language Analysis: Analytic Philosophy, particularly associated with philosophers like Bertrand Russell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, and G.E. Moore, sought to clarify and analyze concepts through the careful examination of language. This linguistic turn in philosophy aimed to resolve philosophical problems by looking at the language used to express them, emphasizing logic and precise definitions.
By contrast, European philosophy of the time focused heavily on existential questions, the nature of human existence, and social critique. Thinkers like Jean-Paul Sartre, Martin Heidegger, and Edmund Husserl were more concerned with understanding human subjectivity, existential angst, and the meaning of existence.
Overall, Pragmatism and Analytic Philosophy exhibit a more practical and empirical orientation, emphasizing the practical consequences of ideas, empirical evidence, and linguistic analysis. These approaches contrast with the more abstract, speculative, and existential concerns present in European philosophy during the same period.