Contemporary American Philosophers Summary and Analysis

Contemporary American philosophers include Santayana, James and Dewey. There are two Americas. One America is of European descent on the East coast and the other is of American origin. European America struggles between a British manner of thought as found in New England and a restless, innovating spirit of the newer people. Santayana is born in Spain and is considered American because he lives in America. He is from the East coast European America. The other America is rooted in the native soil. These Americans are practical, hard-headed businessmen. This group includes the politician Lincoln, writers Whitman, Mark Twain and the philosophers William James and John Dewey.

George Santayana is born in 1863 in Madrid Spain. He is brought to America as a child in 1872 and stays until 1912. He studies and teaches at Harvard until his fiftieth year...