Charles Sanders Peirce

Life

Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914) was an American philosopher, logician, mathematician, and scientist, often considered the founder of pragmatism. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he was the son of mathematician Benjamin Peirce. Educated at Harvard, Peirce worked for the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (1861–1891) while developing his philosophical ideas. Despite his genius, he struggled professionally, never securing a permanent academic position. Key milestones include his 1877–1878 series of papers defining pragmatism, his contributions to logic and semiotics, and his work on scientific methodology.

People Who Influenced Their Thought

• Immanuel Kant: Kant's categories profoundly influenced Peirce's own categorical system
• George Boole: Boole's algebraic logic shaped Peirce's logical investigations
• Duns Scotus: Medieval philosopher whose realism Peirce adapted
• Augustus De Morgan: De Morgan's logical work informed Peirce's developments in logic

Main Ideas and Publications

• Pragmatism: Formulated the pragmatic maxim (1878) as a method for clarifying concepts
• Semiotics: Developed a sophisticated theory of signs (icon/index/symbol)
• Abduction: Identified as a distinct form of reasoning alongside deduction and induction
• Illustrations of the Logic of Science (1877–1878): Contains his foundational pragmatist papers
• Existential Graphs: Innovative diagrammatic system for logic
• Synechism: His doctrine of continuity central to his metaphysics

Controversies around his main work or thought

• Pragmatism Dispute: William James popularized a version Peirce rejected (renaming his view "pragmaticism")
• Realism Debate: Josiah Royce challenged aspects of Peirce's scholastic realism
• Logical Foundations: Bertrand Russell criticized some of Peirce's logical notations
• Scientific Method: John Dewey developed a different version of pragmatism

Key People Influenced by Their Thought

• William James: Though differing, James spread pragmatism based on Peirce's ideas
• John Dewey: Developed his instrumentalism from Peircean foundations
• Clarence Irving Lewis: Built on Peirce's conceptual pragmatism
• Karl-Otto Apel: 20th century philosopher who championed Peirce's work

Legacy

Charles Sanders Peirce founded pragmatism, revolutionized semiotics, and made groundbreaking contributions to logic while developing an original metaphysical system that continues to influence philosophy today.