In her article, ‘The tough minded and the tender minded: A pragmatic turn for
sustainable development planning and policy’, Meg Holden introduces into
the debate William James (1907–1977) and the philosophy of pragmatism.
James coined the terms ‘tough minded’ and ‘tender minded’ to suggest two
ways of understanding the world – ways that were not dichotic but that were
present in all of us; ways that could build mutual benefit.