Robert Schwartz – författare

For a good part of the 20th century, the classic Pragmatists—Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, and John Dewey—and pragmatism in general were largely ignored by analytic philosophers. They were said to hold such untenable views as whatever best satisfies our needs is true and that the end justifies the means. Despite a recent revival of interest in these figures, spurred largely by the work of Richard Rorty, it is not uncommon to continue to hear claims that pragmatism is a subjectivist, anti-realist position that denies that there is a mind-independent world, and fails to place objective constraints on inquiry.

In this book, Robert Schwartz dispels these traditional views by examining the empiricist and constructivist orientation of the classic pragmatists. Based on updated and expanded versions of his influential papers, as well as a number of previously unpublished essays, in this book Schwartz demonstrates the relevance of pragmatic thought to a wide range of issues beyond concerns over truth and realism that currently dominate discussions. The individual essays elaborate and defend pragmatic, instrumentalist, and constructivist conceptions of truth and inquiry, moral discourse and ethical statements, perception, art, and worldmaking. Pragmatic Perspectives will appeal to scholars interested in the history of American philosophy and pragmatic approaches to contemporary issues in analytic philosophy.

For a good part of the 20th century, the classic Pragmatists—Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, and John Dewey—and pragmatism in general were largely ignored by analytic philosophers. They were said to hold such untenable views as whatever best satisfies our needs is true and that the end justifies the means. Despite a recent revival of interest in these figures, spurred largely by the work of Richard Rorty, it is not uncommon to continue to hear claims that pragmatism is a subjectivist, anti-realist position that denies that there is a mind-independent world, and fails to place objective constraints on inquiry.

In this book, Robert Schwartz dispels these traditional views by examining the empiricist and constructivist orientation of the classic pragmatists. Based on updated and expanded versions of his influential papers, as well as a number of previously unpublished essays, in this book Schwartz demonstrates the relevance of pragmatic thought to a wide range of issues beyond concerns over truth and realism that currently dominate discussions. The individual essays elaborate and defend pragmatic, instrumentalist, and constructivist conceptions of truth and inquiry, moral discourse and ethical statements, perception, art, and worldmaking. Pragmatic Perspectives will appeal to scholars interested in the history of American philosophy and pragmatic approaches to contemporary issues in analytic philosophy.

In his groundbreaking first book, Your Soul''s Plan: Discovering the Real Meaning of the Life You Planned Before You Were Born, Robert Schwartz brought the concept of pre-birth planning into the mainstream. In his second book, Your Soul''s Gift: The Healing Power of the Life You Planned Before You Were Born, he dove even deeper by examining the pre-birth planning of other common life challenges. Now, in his third book, Your Soul''s Love, he explores the pre-birth planning of challenges related to romantic relationships or their absence: infidelity; impotence; raising children alone after the death of one''s partner; being single; and celibate relationships. Working again with several gifted mediums and channels, and this time incorporating the Between Lives Soul Regressions he does as a skilled hypnotist, Schwartz brings forth great wisdom and love from "the other side" to explain why we plan such experiences before we are born.

Through the stories in Your Soul''s Love you can:

-Cultivate greater love and respect for both your partner and yourself

-Empathize more deeply with your partner

-Forgive your partner and yourself for any pain caused, thus healing your relationship

-See how your romantic relationship fosters your and your partner''s evolution

-Replace resistance and suffering with abiding joy and peace

Robert Schwart''s books have been translated into 25 languages. He teaches internationally on the subject of pre-birth planning at such venues as The United Nations, Kripalu, 1440 Multiversity, and Hollyhock. For more information visit Robert online at www.yoursoulsplan.com or write to him directly at rob.schwartz@yoursoulsplan.com.

In his groundbreaking first book, Your Soul''s Plan: Discovering the Real Meaning of the Life You Planned Before You Were Born, Robert Schwartz brought the idea of pre-birth planning into the mainstream. Now, his brilliant sequel Your Soul''s Gift delves even deeper by exploring the pre-birth planning of spiritual awakening, miscarriage and abortion, caregiving, abusive relationships, sexuality, incest, adoption, poverty, suicide, rape, and mental illness. Working with a team of gifted mediums, Schwartz brings forth great love and wisdom from the other side to explain why such experiences are planned and the deep, soul-level healing they can create.

Through the stories in Your Soul s Gift you can:

-Develop greater self-love as you become aware of the tremendous courage it takes for you to plan a life on Earth and to live the life you planned

-Emerge from victim consciousness to know yourself as the powerful creator of your life

-Forgive those who have hurt you and create a lasting inner peace

-Understand the qualities you came into this lifetime to cultivate and express

-See profound purpose in experiences that once appeared to be meaningless suffering

-Develop a heartfelt knowing of your infinite worth, beauty, magnificence, and sacredness as an eternal soul.

Robert Schwartz is also the author of Your Soul''s Love: Living the Love You Planned Before You Were Born about the pre-birth planning of challenges related to romantic relationships or their absence.

Robert Schwartz is a hypnotist who specializes in Between Lives Soul Regressions (BLSRs). In a BLSR you can speak with very wise, loving, and highly evolved beings who can tell you what you planned for this lifetime and why, how you''re doing in terms of fulfilling your plans, and how you may better fulfill your plans. Robert''s books have been translated into 25 languages. He teaches internationally on the subject of pre-birth planning at such venues as The United Nations, Kripalu, 1440 Multiversity, and Hollyhock. For more information visit Robert online at www.yoursoulsplan.com or write to him directly at rob.schwartz@yoursoulsplan.com.

Rethinking Pragmatism explores the work of the American Pragmatists, particularly James and Dewey, challenging entrenched readings of their views on truth, instrumentalism, realism, pluralism, and religious beliefs. Schwartz takes James’s work as the basis for his discussion. His detailed commentary on James’s Pragmatism, which Schwartz uses as a scaffold for rethinking pragmatic themes and arguments more generally, looks ahead rather than back. In terms that have significant implications for current philosophical controversies, Rethinking Pragmatism explains why the Pragmatists rejected meanings, fixed reference, and metaphysical necessity, but did not reject theoretical entities.

Most significantly, it provides a perspective on the pragmatic theory of truth that shows, for example, why James readily admits that truth is “agreement with reality,” and why Dewey praises Tarski’s work on truth as a breakthrough in semantic theory. Schwartz also links the Pragmatists’ reasons for rejecting nineteenth-century positivism to twentieth-century challenges to logical positivism. The result is a book that coherently unfolds James’s work, while demonstrating the contemporary relevance of the American Pragmatists’ ideas and arguments to debates about the nature of inquiry, language, and reality.

Rethinking Pragmatism explores the work of the American Pragmatists, particularly James and Dewey, challenging entrenched readings of their views on truth, instrumentalism, realism, pluralism, and religious beliefs. Schwartz takes James’s work as the basis for his discussion. His detailed commentary on James’s Pragmatism, which Schwartz uses as a scaffold for rethinking pragmatic themes and arguments more generally, looks ahead rather than back. In terms that have significant implications for current philosophical controversies, Rethinking Pragmatism explains why the Pragmatists rejected meanings, fixed reference, and metaphysical necessity, but did not reject theoretical entities.

Most significantly, it provides a perspective on the pragmatic theory of truth that shows, for example, why James readily admits that truth is “agreement with reality,” and why Dewey praises Tarski’s work on truth as a breakthrough in semantic theory. Schwartz also links the Pragmatists’ reasons for rejecting nineteenth-century positivism to twentieth-century challenges to logical positivism. The result is a book that coherently unfolds James’s work, while demonstrating the contemporary relevance of the American Pragmatists’ ideas and arguments to debates about the nature of inquiry, language, and reality.

Information--regular, systematic, reliable--is the life-blood of democracy and the fuel of effective management. Surely today there is no problem with information, for this is the age of information overload. It pours onto our computer screens and out of our printers. Indeed, many governments claim, often with some justification, to be more open and transparent than ever before. But what if the life-blood is contaminated, or the fuel polluted? Then the body politic sickens and the engine of public management runs rough. It is the vital issue of the quality of the information we receive that this book addresses. Quality Matters compares approaches across different jurisdictional settings and across three different types of information evaluation. The chapters describe and analyze quality assurance in a number of countries and within a variety of international organizations. These have been selected either because they are widely considered to be leaders in evaluating information or because they have experience with assuring quality information that can instruct others. Contributors are from Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, and the World Bank. This pioneering study analyzes practices for assuring the quality of evaluation, performance auditing, and reporting in the face of political, organizational, and technical obstacles. A final chapter addresses the extent to which quality assurance systems become bothersome rituals or remain meaningful mechanisms to ensure quality control. This well-structured volume will be of particular interest to policymakers and adds much to the literature on program evaluation and performance auditing.

Information--regular, systematic, reliable--is the life-blood of democracy and the fuel of effective management. Surely today there is no problem with information, for this is the age of information overload. It pours onto our computer screens and out of our printers. Indeed, many governments claim, often with some justification, to be more open and transparent than ever before. But what if the life-blood is contaminated, or the fuel polluted? Then the body politic sickens and the engine of public management runs rough. It is the vital issue of the quality of the information we receive that this book addresses. Quality Matters compares approaches across different jurisdictional settings and across three different types of information evaluation. The chapters describe and analyze quality assurance in a number of countries and within a variety of international organizations. These have been selected either because they are widely considered to be leaders in evaluating information or because they have experience with assuring quality information that can instruct others. Contributors are from Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, and the World Bank. This pioneering study analyzes practices for assuring the quality of evaluation, performance auditing, and reporting in the face of political, organizational, and technical obstacles. A final chapter addresses the extent to which quality assurance systems become bothersome rituals or remain meaningful mechanisms to ensure quality control. This well-structured volume will be of particular interest to policymakers and adds much to the literature on program evaluation and performance auditing.