Peirce's theory of truth and fallibilism

Hugh McDonald

pp. 71-77

in: Judith M. Green (ed), Richard J. Bernstein and the pragmatist turn in contemporary philosophy, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2014

Abstract

Professor Richard Bernstein, in his new book The Pragmatic Turn, has examined the issue of fallibilism in pragmatism. In particular, he contends that Charles S. Peirce argued for fallibilism from his earliest texts through the late works. However, fallibilism is not confined to Peirce. On the contrary, fallibilism is one connection between classical and "neo-prag- matism." As Professor Bernstein notes, the contemporary German school of Karl-Otto Apel, Jürgen Habermas, and their followers argue for fallibi- lism and look back to Peirce for insights on this point.¹ Bernstein goes so far as to state that "the spirit of critical pragmatic fallibilism represents what is best in the American tradition and has global significance/"²

Cited authors

Habermas Jürgen

Apel Karl-Otto

Peirce Charles Sanders

Bernstein Richard