Abstract

Lucius Outlaw's On Race and Philosophy has traced the racist history of Western philosophy, and locates pragmatism in the tradition of Western thought, which, he argues, has little to say about issues important to African Americans. I argue that, when it comes to pragmatism, Outlaw is mistaken. Pragmatism embraces a spirit of inclusiveness that is captured by no other philosophical tradition. Outlaw's views on race and philosophy are entirely consistent with the inclusive spirit of pragmatism