Pragmatism and BearsWilliam James' approach to epistemology is very different than other philosophers. Because some epistemological philosophies may seem difficult to apply to real-life situations, James' philosophy, pragmatism, is applicable in a variety of different ways. First of all, James establishes his philosophy by defining it. The pragmatic method is based on solid concrete evidence, must make a difference, is faithful to experience and is empiricist. James also believes that an individual's temperament is an important factor when it comes to their philosophy, as well as seeking the truth about something. All these things that make up pragmatism are applicable to the movie Grizzly Man. Grizzly Man is directed by Werner Herzog and is about Timothy Treadwell, a man who decides to live among grizzly bears. Many different people are interviewed about Timothy Treadwell and discuss their opinions on the whole situation. These people wonder if Treadwell was delusional and how exactly he could have wanted to live among these dangerous creatures. William James and his pragmatic method would have agreed with Treadwell and supported him. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayJames would say that truth does not mean absolute certainty. When seeking the truth, one should not seek a great general truth. If you seek a great truth, you will realize that it is unattainable. Thus, he would argue that truth is made up largely of previous truths, where experience plays a role. I think this may relate to Grizzly Man. In this documentary there are a lot of people who criticize Treadwell for what he did. All the people trying to understand why or how Treadwell would consider his spending safe are not following the pragmatic method. There is no truth about the epistemological questions raised by the interviewees. The only way to truly understand is to start by understanding Treadwell. Now, James would question whether Treadwell's choice to embark on this new life with the bears was a genuine option or not. It should be noted that Treadwell has had a messy life. He failed to connect with humans, especially women. Furthermore, he was deeply involved in alcoholism and was a failure as an actor. In case one's life is not going according to plan, it is not surprising that he had a revelation about what he wanted to do with his life from then on. According to James, when you are faced with a genuine option and there are no facts to help you decide where to go, you can make a decision based on passion. Treadwell had no other real options to turn to and even if he had other options, it wouldn't have given him the same fulfillment he had received from living with the bears. Although other people attempted to contradict Treadwell by saying he had other options, his experiences and perceptions led him to perceive it as a forced option. Ultimately, James would be in favor of this. Likewise, James feels the same way about those who pursue religion and actively defends those who are religious. In relation to God, James suggests that when the evidence is insufficient, one can consult one's passions to reach the truth. The meaning of “true” can be found by examining how the idea has worked in our lives. This idea of ​​coexisting with bears has worked very well in Treadwell's life. She was happier and felt like she had meaning. Those who are religious find comfort in their religion. For example, they have something to believe in and maybe this makes them a better and more active person in society..