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The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in America

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The Metaphysical Club: A Story of Ideas in AmericaThe Metaphysical Club is the winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for History. A riveting, original book about the creation of modern American thought. The Metaphysical Club was an informal group that met in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1872, to talk about ideas. Its members included Oliver Well Holmes, Jr., future associate justice of the United States Supreme Court; William James, the father of modern American psychology; and Charles Sanders Peirce,

The Metaphysical Club is the winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for History.

A riveting, original book about the creation of modern American thought.

The Metaphysical Club was an informal group that met in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1872, to talk about ideas. Its members included Oliver Well Holmes, Jr., future associate justice of the United States Supreme Court; William James, the father of modern American psychology; and Charles Sanders Peirce, logician, scientist, and the founder of semiotics. The Club was probably in existence for about nine months. No records were kept. The one thing we know that came out of it was an idea -- an idea about ideas. This book is the story of that idea.

Holmes, James, and Peirce all believed that ideas are not things out there waiting to be discovered but are tools people invent -- like knives and forks and microchips -- to make their way in the world. They thought that ideas are produced not by individuals, but by groups of individuals -- that ideas are social. They do not develop according to some inner logic of their own but are entirely depent -- like germs -- on their human carriers and environment. And they thought that the survival of any idea depends not on its immutability but on its adaptability.

The Metaphysical Club is written in the spirit of this idea about ideas. It is not a history of philosophy but an absorbing narrative about personalities and social history, a story about America. It begins with the Civil War and ends in 1919 with Justice Holmes's dissenting opinion in the case of U.S. v. Abrams-the basis for the constitutional law of free speech. The first four sections of the book focus on Holmes, James, Peirce, and their intellectual heir, John Dewey. The last section discusses some of the fundamental twentieth-century ideas they are associated with. This is a book about a way of thinking that changed American life.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Published: 04/10/2002
ISBN: 9780374528492
Pages: 576
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.40w x 1.60d
Award: Pulitzer Prize - Winner

Review Citations: New York Times 04/28/2002 pg. 24
Business Week 07/01/2002 pg. 23
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SKU: 90173741061

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Dean Winchester
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 5
Shockingly Good
Style: Heavy Duty, Style: Heavy Duty
If you’re like me (cheap), shopping for silverware is painful because it is either ridiculously overpriced or affordable yet garbage. I’m quite pleased to report that this set is very decent quality and is a fantastic value for the price, the pieces all have a little bit of weight to them, so they do not feel cheap in your hand, yet they are not these bloated, Henry the eighth hammers that are uncomfortably heavy. They are well balanced and seem to be durable..
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Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2026
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Amazon Customer
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
Very good quality.
Style: Heavy Duty
Quality is great. Nice finish. The organizer is a plus. Quality product for the price.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2026
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Donn Chicago
Lexington, US
★★★★★ 5
Nice Quality
Style: Heavy Duty
Excellent heavyweight pieces priced right!
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Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2026
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Nyx K
Fort Morgan, US
★★★★★ 5
Arrived whole
Style: Tree Pattern, Style: Tree Pattern
I noticed several posts where the holder was cracked and damaged. mine arrived fine but it came inside a larger box due to other items arriving with it so not sure it that helped, for future buyers. We've been remodeling our kitchen for over 1yr and a half. Most of the items I have were passed down when my mother passed. The silverware I had didn't match and it drove me nuts. I finally was at the point I could afford to replace all of it. So tossed it all out when these arrived. These are nice looking, very strong and feel of good quality. I picked the hammered look and black since the colors in the kitchen are steel, black appliances and the cabinets are a blue with marble counter. We bought marble dishes and wanted something other than steel silverware. Though the black, at a glance looks like plastic silverware due to how shiny they are. But I am happy. #1 thing that sold me were the steak knives. Serrated knives in set like these are usually just four. The teeth on these are sharp and when I used one on a cold cooked chicken breasts it cut through nicely and shredded it fine without issue. Most sets are usually just four of everything. I have family members every who come over every so often and we would like to host friends once in a while as well. So we needed more than four which at times is hard to come by. I also wash my dishes by hand. I haven't used a dishwasher in 22 yrs, so when remodeling I didn't waste money buying one. So far with washing these by hand, I have had no issue. No rust or odd spotting and no coloring chipped. So would likely suggest washing these by hand if others have issues with them in the dishwasher. For the price, the quality and the quantity, that alone is a steal for me. I didn't care if the holder arrived broken or not. Even if it didn't have the holder I would pay the same and buy this set.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 22, 2024
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Steve Walker
Grantham, US
★★★★★ 4
Good value
Style: Heavy Duty
Nice set. The storage tray is too small for 18” drawers and too big for 15” drawers. Could be trimmed to fit the 15” drawer without impacting functionality. Has steak knives and butter knives but the butter knives will cut any steak I’ve ever had. Salad forks seem small to me but none of my guests commented on it.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2025

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