How did William James respond to criticism that pragmatism makes truth merely subjective?

William James faced criticism that his pragmatic theory of truth reduced the concept to a subjective matter of personal preference or utility. Critics argued that his view allowed an idea to be considered true simply because it was useful to one individual, even if it were inexpedient for others.1

In response, James clarified that what feels immediately good or useful is not necessarily "true" when evaluated against the broader scope of human experience. He emphasized that truth must be measured by the "verdict of the rest of experience," warning that individuals cannot ignore the objective order of realities they encounter. He famously cautioned, "Woe to him whose beliefs play fast and loose with the order which realities follow in his experience," asserting that true ideas must ultimately function as a reliable guide within the constraints of the world.1