Hello, my friend.

I recently wrote my version of an article on philosophy, in which I posited that Hermann Hesse and myself are experientialists. I still have not looked up whether that term exists. It seems to me that pragmatism and experientialism may be related. Here's my essay: https://medium.com/the-taoist-online/hermann-hesse-alan-arkin-and-marcus-meet-in-a-bar-to-discuss-philosophy-with-marcus-7582ce0bad14 At some point, probably next week, I'll write an essay that dives deeper into the Alan Arkin book I discuss therein. I see connections between examples he gives in his book about the way people refuse evidence that would shatter their belief sets. I note that in at least one one of Douglas Giles's essays on pragmatism, https://medium.com/inserting-philosophy/pragmatism-the-philosophy-with-cash-value-7b85b7e291c, he writes:

"That philosophical approach has been applied in three basic areas. One is in the philosophy of science. The idea that what is scientific truth is arrived at through a collective. The second application is to a philosophy of truth and meaning. Saying that a belief is true if and only if it is useful to us in our lives. The third application is to social and political philosophy that derives social and political truths from humans individual experiences." [emphasis added]

Alex, do you have thoughts that may guide my essay? You know I will credit you.