Table of Contents

• Preface to the New Edition
• Chapter I
• The Puritan Prelude
• God and Man
• Morals and Society
• Spirit and Matter
• Part One: Diverse Puritans
• Chapter II
• Jonathan Edwards: Theology
• Ultimate Concerns
• The Great Awakening and Affectionate Religion
• The Battle against Arminianism
• Chapter III
• Benjamin Franklin: Science and Morals
• Career and Character
• Natural Science
• Moral Science
• Chapter IV
• John Adams: Politics
• Portrait of an Enlightened Puritan
• In Defense of Liberty
• The Republican Idea
• Part Two: In Transition
• Chapter V
• Ralph Waldo Emerson: Poet-Priest
• The Early Pilgrimage
• Self-Reliance
• Philosophy
• Intellect and Art
• Part Three: Three Pragmatists
• Chapter VI
• Charles S. Peirce
• Life
• Signs and Relations
• Inquiry and the Pragmatic Test
• The categories and Realism
• Scientific Metaphysics
• Axiology and Religion
• Chapter VII
• William James
• The Courageous Pilgrimage
• Psychology
• Voluntarism
• In Pursuit of an Ontology
• Pragmatism
• Practical Concerns
• Chapter VIII
• John Dewey
• The Long Pathway to Naturalism
• The Metaphysical Framework
• Epistemology
• Value
• Philosophy in Action
• Part Four: In Retreat
• Chapter IX
• George Santayana
• Life
• The Metaphysical Foundation
• Epistemology
• Axiology
• Politics and Art
• Religion
• A Reading Guide
• Index

About the Author

Paul K. Conkin is Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Vanderbilt University.

Reviews

"Conkin's book is a remarkable effort at synthesis and elucidation. The perennial nature of philosophy - nature, mind, reality, values, consciousness, and so forth - reappear in this impressive study of major American thinkers. - JOHN P. DIGGINS, Journal of American History One can immediately grant the honesty and conviction [of this work], but the third quality that impresses the reader...is a highly impressionistic style. - A. OWEN ALDRIDGE, The American Historical Review Paul Conkin's volume is a most extraordinary piece of work. - JOHN HIGHAM, Johns Hopkins University"