Though the philosophical movement known as pragmatism originated in New England about 150 years ago, it is as different and refreshing in the twenty-first century as it was in the mid-nineteenth century. For one, it offers up an altogether relaxed attitude about what is true, meaningful, and significant in people's lives.

Peirce first used the word pragmatism to emphasize a kind of experiential approach to arriving at true beliefs, as opposed to the metaphysical concerns of Hegel and Kant and of the rationalists and empiricists that dominated philosophical conversation in his time. He argued that both approaches left something to be desired with their insistence that truths were eternal and necessary on the one hand and derived from sense impressions on the other.

All one needs to do to understand pragmatism's continual appeal is to review three moments in its history. Charles Peirce stated that metaphysical certainty is a luxurious commodity rarely found, acknowledging that all truths need to be revised. He named his position “fallibilism.” Is there an infallible statement anywhere? Yes, the one infallible statement is that “All statements are fallible.” With full-blown certainty nowhere in sight, we can still find provisional beliefs that work in practice.

Dewey's own version of pragmatism sounded a similar note. He wished to replace the correspondence theory of truth with a modified idea of “truth is what works.” These truths would be instrumental in finding further truths. He called his doctrine “instrumentalism.”

William James countered the ominous view of a contemporary, W. K. Clifford, who claimed, “It is wrong always and everywhere to believe anything upon insufficient evidence.” James responded to Clifford's mortal fear of being wrong by saying that on some issues we lack sufficient evidence one way or another. To not take a stand on issues like the existence of God and freedom of the will is to live in fear of being duped, according to James. Yet, since these are open questions it is quite reasonable to “will to believe” what you choose.