ABSTRACT
The first part of Pragmatism and Poetic Agency discusses the relationship between Nietzsche and the pragmatists. One will not understand the meaning, and complexity, of a pragmatist humanism without considering how Nietzsche’s mediation between naturalism and aestheticism results in one of the most thought-provoking and stimulating versions of humanism. This chapter prepares the ground for the discussion of how Nietzsche influenced the development of pragmatist humanism. It offers a detailed analysis of his idea that only we have created the world that concerns us as human beings. This is done in two steps. First, the author explains Nietzsche’s brand of naturalism. Second, he illuminates to what degree Nietzsche’s naturalism shapes his philosophy of creativity or making.
