Abstract

Philosophical pragmatism as founded by the American philosopher C.S. Peirce, has had a strong influence in the life and work of Jan F. Glastra van Loon. In two decisive moments in his career this influence can be observed. First in his seminal Ph.D. study Norm en Handeling , in which Peirce’s theory of signs and symbols has been used to analyse human conduct. Human action as conduct is always embedded in symbolic meanings and in meanings systems such as the law. In a second period the contrasting theories of knowledge of R. Descartes and C.S. Peirce, two great metaphysical counterparts in the history of philosophy, are often used and analysed in the writings of Glastra van Loon. The so-called pragmatic maxim is demonstrated as a means of determining the meaning of concepts, such as ‘hard’. From this three characteristics of genuine pragmatic thinking can be traced: use of the logic of relations, thinking as action and qualitative induction. These three also have been the mainspring of Glastra van Loon’s pragmatic thinking, both in theory and in his applications in law and politics