PRAGMATISM IN A METAPHYSICAL FRAME? SOCIALIZATION OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE SOCIAL CONCEPT OF REALITY IN FICHTE'S PHILOSOPHY AND IN PRAGMATISM

In this article the Author attempts to examine four less obvious ideas that seem to make a connection between Fichte and pragmatism. These important ideas are 1) the practical nature of knowledge; 2) the role of the community of scholars; 3) the process of socialization of knowledge; and 4) the social redefinition of the concept of reality. The Author believes that the connection results from deep-rooted similarities in Fichte's and in pragmatist understanding of how ideas, actions and the empirical world are interconnected. Fichte's proclaimed egalitarian society is not so far from the social idea of democracy formulated by some pragmatists. The reason for this is not only the strong egalitarian strain in Fichte's thinking, which finds its expression in the idea of an inclusive community free from coercion and based on knowledge and communication. It is also due to the fact that within the pragmatist conception, the social perspective is much more important than is usually assumed.