Meaning 1

STUDIES IN THE MEANINGS OF OUR THOUGHTS

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THINKING?

Considered in Two Chapters.

[This Essay, which contains the earliest formulation of the doctric of Pragmatism, having some
little historical curiosity, is printed, except for the omission of some dilutions originally intended for [?? ???????? to ??????? ?????? ??]
is just as it first appeared, in the Popular Science Monthly, the first chapter in the November 1877,
the second in January 1878. Such statements in it as are more or less incorrect are
reconsidered in notes appended to this reprint.]

Chapter I. The Fixation of Belief

The aim of reasoning is to find out, from the consideration of matters and things which already within
our knowledge, something else that we had not known. Consequently, reasoning is
good if it be really calculated to yield a true conclusion as true as its premisses; while if
this is not the case, the reasoning is bad.
The question of its validity is thus purely a question of