Conversion in American Philosophy: Exploring the Practice of Transformation / Edition 1

by Roger A. Ward

Overview

In this fresh, provocative account of the American philosophical tradition, Roger Ward explores the work of key thinkers through an innovative and counterintuitive lens: religious conversion. From Jonathan Edwards to Cornel West, Ward threads the history of American thought into an extended, multivalent encounter with the religious experience. Looking at Dewey, James, Peirce, Rorty, Corrington, and other thinkers, Ward demonstrates that religious themes have deeply influenced the development of American philosophy.This innovative reading of the American philosophical tradition will be welcomed not only by philosophers, but also by historians and other students of America's religious, intellectual, and cultural legacy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780823223138
Publisher:	Fordham University Press
Publication date:	03/01/2004
Series:	American Philosophy , #13
Edition description:	1
Pages:	235
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Roger Ward is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown College, Kentucky.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	ix
	Preface	xi
	Introduction: Conversion and the Practice of Transformation	xxv
1.	The Philosophical Structure of Jonathan Edwards's	1
2.	Habit, Habit Change, and Conversion in C.S. Peirce	29
3.	Reconstructing Faith: Religious Overcoming in Dewey's Pragmatism	62
4.	Transforming Obligation in William James	89
5.	Dwelling in Absence: The Reflective Origin of Conversion	120
6.	Creative Transformation: The Work of Conversion	151
7.	The Evasion of Conversion in Recent American Philosophy	180
	Bibliography	221
	Index	231

Editorial Reviews

Ward's distinctively theological account of pragmatism is bold, and his telling of the story of pragmaticm is vivid.

The Journal of Religion

I recommend this book enthusiastically to students of conversion and of the American philosophical tradition. It makes a significant contribution to our understanding of both and deserves careful reading and study.

Modern Theology

[Ward] believes that he can show that conversion is a concern for all [discussed] philosophers and that this is good for philosophy

Theology Digest

...the value of Ward's project transcends religious themes and thus is worthy of attention by those who are interested in American philosophy, American culture, and American pragmatism from a non-religious perspective.

Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society