What, according to James, are the important differences between tender-minded and tough-minded individuals? How did he suggest pragmatism could be used to resolve the differences between the two types of individuals?
James has described about the two types of the personalities. He classified them as the tough-minded people and the tender-minded people. According to him, tender minded people are usually principle oriented people. They are religious, dogmatic, intellectual, rationalistic, and idealistic and they always believe in following their will.
The tough –minded people are always fact oriented. They are irreligious, fatalistic, materialistic, sensationalist and pessimistic by nature. James believed that pragmatism can be used for the compromising between the two different personalities. . Pragmatism is may be considered as a way to clarify epistemological and intractable metaphysical disputes.
Pragmatism is the most logical way for dealing with some problems. It is the belief that pragmatism is the best criteria for the determination of the validity of any concept or fact. Acceptance or rejection of any religion, idea, method or philosophy is not worth except on the basis of their usefulness.