William James: PRAGMATISM

"It is wrong always, everywhere, and for every one, to believe anyting upon insufficient evidence" (74).
"If the total drift of thinking continues to confirm it, that is what he means by its being true" (81).
"We must know truth; and we must avoid error,-these are out first and great commandments as would-be knowers" (81).
"The need of acting is seldom so urgent that a false belief to act on is better than no belief at all" (83).
"Better risk loss of truth than chance of error,- that is you faith-vetoer's exact position" (88).
"Each must act as he thinks best; and if he is wrong, so much the worse for him" (92).
"What must we do? Be strong and of a good courage. Act for the best, hope for the best, and take what comes.....If death ends all, we cannot meet death better" (92).
"The pragmatic methos is primarily a method of settling metaphysical disputes that otherwise might be intermindable" (94).
"Pragmatism a meditator and reconciler and said....that she 'unstiffens' our theories" (110).
"Pragmatism is willing to take anything, to follow either logic or the senses, and to count the humblest and most personal experiences. She will count mystical experiences if they have practical consequences" (111).

If you were to take all these quotes together, and create a definition, the definition would define Pragmatism. Pragmatism is a way of thinking about theories and experiences that derives truth from evidence. But it does this without being limited by these truths, not viewing them as absolute truths. Instead, pragmatism views these truths as flexible truths. It considers all the evidence and does not become tied down by any truth discovered. Always listening to opinions, always considering new options. Never satisfied to "rest" on a truth earlier discovered, but taking new experience into account.