Phil / Pas 516 - Cornel West's Pragmatism

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One of the most influential pragmatists, particularly for West, was John Dewey. Dewey was one of the original philosophical pragmatists who brought international attention to the movement. But, what made Dewey particularly influential to West was his concern for the average men. By focusing on the problems facing modern humans, Dewey was able to eliminate the abstract and focus on tangible issues plauging society. Evidently enough, Cornel West used that pragmatic approach to interpret African-American strife and lead his community to the justice they so deserved.

The connection of Emerson and West can be found throughout their work and life as they are both social pragmatists in the sense of their trailblazing paths of soul searching. Given the temporal disparity between the two, it is obvious that they didn't weigh in on the same topics in the same way. That being said, the affinity between the two exists because they both strove to have their philosophies interpreted in such a way as to not only evoke emotion, but justifiable action.

Cornel West and Ralph Emerson are no different in their philosophical attempts to provide a practical mean of advancing society. Belief, truth, and justification are the qualities of knowledge in their eyes. Both Emerson and West hold a sense of security in knowledge. They took comfort in holding their knowledge as truthful and productive to society. While they would not have agreed on a lot of issues, namely African-American advancement, they share share the same core ethical values. These values include, but are not limited to, knowledge, love, community, self-reliazation, conviction, faith, religion, and justice. Introspection of self...which leads to problems of identity. Both philosophers also had similar struggles in this sense. They were everyday men that had to live with their own thoughts, just like we all do. Contemplating between too much self-reliance and their own place in history as intellectuals.

At one point in his career, West questioned whether "a human (can) exist outside community" (west, unknown). This theme is central to Emerson as well. Emerson, who was also an ordanied pastor placed just as much emphasis on community as West does. Despite both men being staunch advocates of self-reliance, both me also realize that community is imperative to human existence. Even if that community is simply nature in the eyes of Emerson. Although West has never been ordained himself, both men are preachers. Like, many preachers though, they do not come without contradictions. In fact, both men have led lives that one would question in terms of their personal philosophy. On emerson's part he speaks of transcedentalism and naturalism, but also held that the black man is lower than the white man. Likewise, West has spent the majority of his professional career under the watchful eye of prestigous academic instiutions that are not historically famous for liberating men of African descent. These two great intellectuals are not just similiar in their pragmatic approaches to life, but also their ironies.

They are similar because they both strive towards a pragmatic philosophy that allows individuals to implement their ideologies as a way of life.

In the end, despite the two philosophers having very different backgrounds and life paths, they are both pragmatists. Emerson set out to help a young America reach its potential by tapping into the vast resources man has to offer and taking word into action. On a nearly identical note, West seeks to help African-Americans wade through the personal journey of deciphering one's cultural history and utilize their resources to better not only themselves, but their community. In doing so, West offers a novel philosophy with pragmatic applications. He aims at focusing on contemporary issues and providing a means of solving them. To reitirate, West asserted that African-American philosophy offers a means of response to specific contemporary issues plauging African-Americans. Just as Emerson offered American society at the time to rely on oneself and embody potential. The concept of both men trying to advance their particular social group can be seen throughout their writings, teachings, and daily life. With Emerson and West we get to walk through the cultural tapestry of society, deciphering which aspects of philosophy to put into action. West has led people back to the naturalist way of thinking while also taking on a modern tone, very much like Emerson did with his following at the time. Alas, claiming West as a pragmatist is the same as asserting Emerson as a transcendentalist. It is simply in their nature.

Works Cited

West, Cornel. "Philosophy and the Afro-American Experience." A Companion to African-American Philosophy. Ed. Tommy Lee Lott. Malden, MA: Blackwell, 2003. Print.

West, Cornel. The American Evasion of Philosophy a Genealogy of Pragmatism. Madison, Wis.: U of Wisconsin, 1989. Print.