Volume 2 (1893-1913) presents thirty-one pivotal texts, beginning with "Immortality in the Light of Synechism," in which Peirce proposes synechism, the tendency to regard everything as continuous, as a key advance over the three popular -isms, materialism, idealism, and dualism, and ending with Peirce's late and unfinished investigations of the relative merits of different kinds of reasoning. During the latter years of his life, Peirce worked unremittingly to integrate new insights and discoveries into his general system of philosophy, and to make his major doctrines fully coherent within that system. A central focus of Volume 2 is on Peirce's evolving theory of signs and on its application to his pragmatism. This volume gives the first comprehensive presentation of Peirce's mature philosophy and is "required reading" for students who want to follow Peirce's development through to its end and to enjoy the breadth of learning and wisdom of America's greatest pragmatist.

Read Chapter 2, "What Is a Sign," online.