American Philosopher
[1842-1910]
William James is best known for his contributions to psychology and philosophy, and is one of the seminal American thinkers to have existed during his time.
In 1842, James was born in New York City to a privelaged family. Thus, he gained a great education, and family acquaintances included Thoreau, Emerson, Greeley and Mill. With such an illustrious background, James went to Harvard University, but became so bored with the programs there that he went to Europe and studied under leading physiologists.
In 1869, James did receive his MD from Harvard Medical School, but his health was in doubt. Without any plans for the future, then Harvard President Charles Eliot asked James to teach psychology at Harvard. James accepted this overture and stayed with the job for thirty five years.
With this act in 1875, James became the first psychology professor ever in America. By 1878, he published his first important work, Principles of Psychology.
By 1883, James became more engrossed in his study of psychology, and he developed a view and practice of psychology and its clinical procedures. Between 1882 and 1883, James spent time travelling to clinics in Europe to gather reports and studies on mentally sick patients. After a while, this study grew tiresome, and by 1885 he became a professor of philosophy.
As a Philosophy professor, James focused on issues ranging from God's existence to free will and morality. In James opinion, all these fields of study were empirical and not dialectical.
In 1902, James published his most notable work, The Varieties of Religous Experience, where he reasoned that the existence of many different religous experiences inferred that humans have some inner area of conciousness that can be reached in times of need. This book had a profound effect on religionists, and at the same time it did not conflict with the ideals of pure scientists.
Other sources of information
The Window-William James
William James
The Stanford Encyclopedia: William James
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