William James
Source: Wikipedia: William James
Philosophy & Thought • Historical Archive • 🇺🇸 United States • 2 views

William James 🇺🇸

William James
["Philosopher", "Psychologist", "Leader of Pragmatism"]
Born Jan 11, 1842 🇺🇸 New York City, United States
Passed Away Aug 26, 1910 Chocorua (New Hampshire), United States
Lifespan 68 years old
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Notice / Correction
"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes."

Archival Overview

American philosopher and psychologist who founded American psychology with The Principles of Psychology and popularized Pragmatism, radical empiricism, and The Varieties of Religious Experience.

Biographical Record

Brother of novelist Henry James, William James (1842–1910) trained in medicine at Harvard before establishing America's first experimental psychology laboratory. In 1890, he published 'The Principles of Psychology', coining the term 'stream of consciousness' to describe subjective mental continuity.

In 1902, James delivered the Gifford Lectures in Edinburgh, published as 'The Varieties of Religious Experience', pioneering psychological phenomenology of mystical states. In 'Pragmatism' (1907), he argued that truth is not a static copy of reality, but what 'works' dynamically in human experience ('cash value of an idea').

Key Life Milestones

1890

The Principles of Psychology

Published the foundational two-volume masterwork of modern American empirical psychology.

1902

The Varieties of Religious Experience

Published the landmark psychological and philosophical exploration of religious conversion and mysticism.

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Final Resting Place

Perpetual Memorial
Cambridge Cemetery
Cambridge (Massachusetts), United States
GPS: 42.3736, -71.1442
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