The expression “Turtles All the Way Down” (TAWD) appears consonant with the rise of modernity, and the development of a modern cosmology that has placed speculative physics in a privileged and exalted position over other knowledge practices. Whether first evoked by John Locke in his affirmation of the division between primary and secondary qualities, by Bertrand Russell to dismiss arguments for the proof of God’s existence, or by theoretical physicists to question the certainty of their own claims or to affirm them, it is striking how frequently TAWD is mobilized in the explication of modern positions. More recently, in analytical philosophy, TAWD has been used to express infinite regress, the apparent “fallacy” of a claim that can be endlessly questioned.
This project traces the genealogy of TAWD by lending specific attention to its expression in modern writings, to see how this has changed over time. Through this genealogy, the reasons TAWD is mobilized both in defense and repudiation of modern thought is explored. The writings and works of William James serve as an important source for this project, given the philosopher’s role as a recurring character in many apocryphal versions of the TAWD story and the suspected source of the present form of the phrase. In so doing, the project hopes to move towards affirming a plurality of knowledges and practices by returning the expression to its original role as a critique of modern modes of thought and order, and away from its contemporary use as a stand-in for logical fallacy.