Letters

Obama: Flexible, Intelligent, Pragmatic

Trenton, N.J.

Christopher Hayes's "The Pragmatist" [Dec. 29] is right on target in suggesting a link between Obama's pragmatism and the tradition in American philosophy of William James and John Dewey. The word "pragmatism" is often used to mean abandoning principles for short-term gains or not rocking the boat too much, but these interpretations miss the point of the pragmatic philosophers. The essential message of the American pragmatists was, as Hayes aptly puts it, "openness to the possibility of radical solutions." In my philosophy classes at Rider University, I teach James and Dewey as original and flexible thinkers who boldly challenged prevailing ideas. I hope that Obama will continue this great American tradition.

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