Abstract

Charles S. Pierce’s Pragmatic Maxim. Some epistemological issues In this paper, my aims to think over Misak’s opinion on Peirce’s pragmatic maxim. Firstly, I introduce the 1878 formulation of the pragmatic maxim in order to show its verificationist character. Secondly, I present the 1905 expression of the pragmatic maxim so as to exhibit its non-empiricist nature. Thirdly, I argue that Misak barks up the wrong tree deeming that the second formulation of the pragmatic maxim is so weak that it cannot balance the detriments of the verificationist formulation. Finally, I claim that the 1905 expression of the pragmatic maxim is neither so loose that it is useless nor so strict that it rules out meaningful statements.