Philosophical Library would like to wish a happy 174th birthday to American philosopher and psychologist William James. An influential man of his time, James was born on January 11, 1842 in New York City, New York and was one of five children born to Henry James Sr. (a respected and affluent theologian) and Mary James. With his father being acquainted with many of the crème de la crèmes in the literary world, James was able to become familiar and possibly influenced by such talent. Having also been raised in monetary wealth, William James was afforded the opportunities of a well-rounded education, having traveled to Europe with his family and given the circumstances to acquire fluency in the German and French languages. In 1864, James began his studies in medicine at Harvard University and earned his medical degree in 1869.
Even though he was equipped with a medical degree, James never practiced as a physician; rather, after a period of soul-searching, he joined the Theosophical Society in 1882 and discovered his true passion for psychology and philosophy. He eventually came to be appointed as an instructor at Harvard in the departments of physiology, anatomy, psychology and philosophy over the course of ten years.
William James is often considered the “Father of American Psychology” and is well known for his beliefs in pragmatism, free will and his philosophies on religion. His compiled lectures on the topic of religion can be read in his well-reviewed work titled The Varieties of Religious Experience. In this piece, James shares twenty of his lectures on the nature of religion which were first introduced at the University of Edinburgh spanning the year from 1901 – 1902. Within these pages, James explores, from a pragmatic standpoint, the individual experiences of religious life. Delving into the beliefs of past philosophers on the subject, William James offers his own analysis on the human experience of faith. To explore more from this title, please click here.
“The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” – William James