The Primal Roots of American Philosophy: Pragmatism, Phenomenology, and Native American Thought

Dean - The Archaeology of American Thought - JCRT 3.1

Book Profile: The Archaeology of American Thought

Bruce Wilshire, The Primal Roots of American Philosophy: Pragmatism, Phenomenology, and Native American Thought. University Park, Pennsylvania: The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000. 241 pages. ISBN: 0-271-02026-1.

William Dean
Iliff School of Theology

After 300 years, that great majority of philosophers who have regularly dismantled traditions of wisdom now seem like a rather predictable group. By those standards, today’s true philosophical radicals are those who risk their reputations by affirming these traditions. Even so, it is still implicitly believed that good philosophers judiciously destroy, leaving judiciously, construction to the bad ones. Thus, for example, when Richard Rorty wrote Achieving Our Country to endorse just one of America’s traditions (the liberal political tradition) . . . well, this was slightly embarrassing.

’ 2001 William Dean. All rights reserved.
Updated 07/28/21.
http://jcrt.org/archives/03.1/dean/