The problem of human freedom from the perspective of William James in the context of pragmatic ethics

Freedom is one of the most fundamental and complex concepts in philosophy. Throughout history, philosophers have developed various approaches to understand what freedom is and how it operates. This thesis aims to examine the problem of freedom within the ethical framework of pragmatism and analyze William James's conception of freedom. Pragmatism emerged as a philosophical movement starting with Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832) and later shaped by the contributions of Charles Sanders Peirce (1839-1914), William James (1842-1910), and John Dewey (1859-1952). This movement adopts a flexible ethical understanding based on changing circumstances, rather than fixed ethical principles. While Peirce laid the theoretical foundations of pragmatism, James introduced this philosophy to a broader audience. William James taught physiology and psychology at Harvard University and established the first psychology laboratory in America. His work focused on consciousness and the functions of the mind, making significant contributions to both psychology and philosophy. James made important contributions to psychology with his 1890 publication The Principles of Psychology. In 1898, he declared himself a pragmatist and advocated for his experimental pragmatism in opposition to realism and idealism. His 1907 book Pragmatism is one of the key texts of this philosophical movement. As one of the leading figures of pragmatism, James introduced this philosophy to a wider audience and argued that ethical decisions should be based on learning from experience. William James defines free will as the capacity for conscious choice and emphasizes that individuals have the power to shape their own destiny. In Pragmatism, he states that free will encourages individuals to make ethical decisions through learning from their experiences. James sees freedom as a fundamental condition for personal self-realization and argues that this capacity lies at the core of human existence. However, he also notes that the limits of freedom should be defined according to the structure of society. Keywords: History of Philosophy, William James, Freedom, Ethics, Free Will