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(English is not my native language so I probably won't be able correctly to express the question... please bear with me).

From time to time, I've heard or read that some of the social differences one can see between Western Europe and the USA can ultimately be traced back to different, somewhat opposed, philosophical "beliefs" about the world which originated in the late 1800s with Western Europe embracing it while the USA stuck to a previous view of the world.

I seem to remember that it may be related to the philosophical views of Kant or a later philosopher.

Equivalently I also remember that a similar argument was made in the field of psychology with Western Europe embracing Freudian ideas while the USA somewhat put him aside and chose a later philosopher/psychologist.

So, does anyone here have any idea what I am referring to? I've read about it multiple times over my life but I just can't seem to remember exactly what it was.

Geoffrey Thomas
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user180940
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    I can hardly imagine something like that... IMO, it is more reasonable to assume that philosophical views differ on some aspects due to the different social systems. – Mauro ALLEGRANZA Jun 15 '18 at 08:29
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    Depending on what is meant by that, I wouldn't articulate in such oppositional terms but America's system of government is inspired by Locke versus European systems being inspired by 19th century philosophy including Kant is a pretty well known trope. – virmaior Jun 15 '18 at 08:41
  • I made some edits. As you are probably aware you may roll them back or continue editing if you feel they were inappropriate. I've heard of differences between continental Europe and Britain or the US, but I think you may be referring to something else. – Frank Hubeny Jun 15 '18 at 11:36
  • It appears that the US fell hook line and sinker for Freud and through Madison Avenue he seems to have infected the national psyche. I feel this may be an important factor. –  Jun 15 '18 at 12:11
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    @PeterJ, those who think in national terms are no less infected. But I hardly can agree Freud is more popular in US than in Europe. – rus9384 Jun 15 '18 at 16:52
  • If it was the late 1800's then you are probably thinking of pragmatism, and such American philosophers as William James and John Dewey. America had another strain, of early German idealism, this can be read about in this book: "American Transcendentalism" by Phillip Gura (2008). As far as the American people before the end of WWI: Page Smith, "America enters the world: a people's history of the Progressive Era and World War I". – Gordon Jun 15 '18 at 17:20
  • Pragmatism at SEP: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pragmatism/ I think Richard Rorty, now deceased, is the more recent American "pragmatist", or in that tradition. – Gordon Jun 15 '18 at 17:29
  • American Transcendentalism: http://www.iep.utm.edu/am-trans/#H2 And again, I strongly recommend the book by Phillip Gura on this subject. – Gordon Jun 15 '18 at 18:14
  • @rus9384 - True enough - but I feel he has had a far greater impact in the US, where generally psychological theorising seems to play a greater role in society.than most places. It may be a false impression, but even US cartoons seem laden with cod-psychology. –  Jun 16 '18 at 10:56
  • Its how Europeans are taught by their parents to perceive reality that is the difference. Brains are organized differently. Read "The Geography of Thought" by Nisbett – Swami Vishwananda Jun 17 '18 at 05:31
  • I have edited your text to help make your meaning clearer. Feel free to re-edit and correct any misunderstandings on my part. – Geoffrey Thomas Jun 17 '18 at 13:25
  • I think you'd need to clarify/specify/exemplarzie what you mean by "social differences". But maybe its only me ... – Raphael J.F. Berger Jun 20 '18 at 13:26

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