Pragmatism and Prejudice of Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

This book explores the various scholarly labels applied to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. and assesses their appropriateness. It argues that Holmes is best characterized as a pragmatist in his jurisprudence, ethics, and politics, particularly in his judicial and nonjudicial publications. The book will be of interest to students and faculty in law, jurisprudence, philosophy, intellectual history, American Studies, political science, and constitutional theory.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 244 pages
Publication date: 02 July 2021
Publisher: Lexington Books

This comprehensive book delves into the diverse range of scholarly labels applied to Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., a renowned legal scholar and philosopher. As noted by Louis Menand, Holmes has been labeled as a formalist, positivist, utilitarian, realist, historicist, pragmatist, and even a nihilist. Each of the eight chapters in this book explores a specific label, examines the secondary literature that supports its use in characterizing Holmes' philosophy, and assesses whether or not the category adequately captures his thought.

The overarching theme of the collection leans towards the assertion that Holmes can be best described as a pragmatist in his jurisprudence, ethics, and politics. In the final chapter, Susan Haack makes a compelling case for this perspective explicitly.

Edited by Seth Vannatta, this book is of immense interest to students and scholars engaged in law, jurisprudence, philosophy, intellectual history, American Studies, political science, and constitutional theory. It provides a valuable resource for those seeking to understand the multifaceted nature of Holmes' intellectual legacy and his contributions to legal and philosophical discourse.

Weight: 334g
Dimension: 151 x 229 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781498561266