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Notes
Rorty was the person most influential in converting me from analytic philosophy to pragmatism and in bringing me to the USA, when I was already a tenured philosopher in Israel. For detailed discussion of our philosophical connections and differences, see “Pragmatism and Cultural Politics” in Shusterman 2012; pp. 166–196.
Another reason for excluding pain from philosophy may be its stubborn resistance to remedy through language. In Rorty’s beautifully evocative essay on facing his imminent death from inoperable pancreatic cancer, he writes of having “found comfort” in poetry rather than other forms of literature, including philosophy (Rorty 2007; 130). There is no mention of pain, though it must surely have been part of his final ordeal in life. Perhaps dismissing it in theory helped to diminish it in felt experience.
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Shusterman, R. Pragmatist Philosophy for Our Times: Reviewing Rorty’s Legacy. Soc 59, 583–590 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-022-00769-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12115-022-00769-x