William James - Intellectuals & Academics, Career and Family
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William James's Personal Details
William James was an American philosopher and psychologist
Information | Detail |
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Birthday | January 11, 1842 |
Died on | August 26, 1910 |
Nationality | American |
Famous | Harvard University, Intellectuals & Academics, Philosophers, Psychologists |
Spouses | Alice Gibbens |
Siblings | Henry James |
Known as | Father of American psychology |
Childrens | Henry James |
Universities |
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Notable Alumnis |
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Founder / Co-Founder |
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Birth Place | New York City, New York |
Gender | Male |
Father | Henry James Sr. |
Sun Sign | Capricorn |
Born in | New York City, New York |
Famous as | Philosopher, Psychologist |
Died at Age | 68 |
// Famous Psychologists
William James's photo
Who is William James?
William James, popularly recognized as ‘Father of American psychology’, started off his journey as a physician and later turned out to become one of the leading and influential philosophers and psychologists of the United States. He is also one of the main persons associated with philosophical school known as pragmatism. He is also cited as one of the founders of functional psychology. With a back up of many theories he proposed, he also explored the areas of religion, morality, metaphysics, human freedom and social philosophy. It was his provocative ideology along with his unique writing style that made his work more impactful. His writings touch a wide array of topics like metaphysics, religion, education, psychology and many more. His influenced great intellectuals such as Edmund Husserl, Bertrand Russell Richard Rorty and the U.S. President Jimmy Carter who could not ignore his philosophical school of thoughts.
// Famous Alumni of Harvard University
Childhood & Early Life
William James was born on January 11, 1842 in Aston House, New York to Henry James, Sr., and Mary Walsh James as their first child.
His father, Henry James Sr., was a Swedenborgian theologian. He was born in a wealthy educated family wherein his father focused on providing quality education to his children.
William James’ early interests in drawing took him to study under an American portraitist, William Morris Hunt (1860) though his love for art did not last long due to his lack of contentment and indecisiveness.
It was only in 1863 that he finally joined the Harvard’s Medical School, before which he studied chemistry and physiology at the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard University.
The James family made frequent trips to Europe wherein William James became fluent with German and French on account of his trans-Atlantic education.
James had always been inflicted by health issues since childhood. His voluntary participation in the American Civil War in 1861 and scientific expedition to Brazil all had to be given up due to health problems. After perpetual breaks, he finally got his medical degree in 1869 but he did not practice.
Severe health problems and phases of depression took James to France and Germany where he studied with Hermann von Helmholtz and developed interest in psychology.
Career
After a year of graduating, he was offered a job as an instructor which he accepted and continued to serve for 35 years. By mid 1870s he started teaching psychology.
He is known to have introduced psychology as a subject and also the first one to introduce psychology laboratories in the United States.
In 1872, he started with teaching physiology and continued to move to anatomy and philosophy.
During most part of 1882-1883 James was in Europe visiting laboratories and meeting psychologists to delve deeper in psychological studies and its procedures.
After his resignation from Harvard psychology lab, he drifted his focus towards philosophy.
Gradually, his focus shifted to empirical studies covering topics such as God, immortality and values.
One of the strongest believers of functionalism in psychology and of pragmatism in philosophy, his writings are both quantitative as well as qualitative.
Among his students at Harvard were Theodore Roosevelt, George Santayana, G. Stanley Hall, Ralph Barton Perry, Morris Raphael Cohen, Walter Lippmann, Alain Locke, C. I. Lewis, Mary Whiton Calkins and Gabriel Wells.
Major Works
William James has quite a few masterpieces to his name. They have had major influence on people’s attitude towards the society, mind and body. He wrote intensively in the field of psychology, philosophy and religion alike.
The article, “The Sentiment of Rationality,” was published as his first article in philosophy.
The Will to Believe and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy: the first book on philosophy which is a dedication to Charles Sanders Peirce (1897).
Talks to Teachers on Psychology and to Students on Some of Life’s Ideals (1899).
The Principles of Psychology (1890), a book that took ten long years to complete but touched some great personalities like Bertrand Russell and John Dewey
The Varieties of Religious Experience (1920) are his lectures based on religious experiences and focused on the underlying basis of religious experiences and the various energies that impact the thought process of religionists.
Pragmatism (1907) and A Pluralistic Universe (1909) were his last publication during his lifetime.
In his last years, he was working on a book ‘Some Problems of Philosophy’, which unfortunately could not be completed. His son Henry edited and published it as Memories and Studies.
His Collected Essays and Reviews and The Letters of William James were also framed into two volumes by his son Henry (1920)
He also founded the American Society for Psychical Research.
As per an empirical study by Haggbloom, (on the basis of six criteria such as citations, recognition etc), William James has been ranked as 14th on the list of most eminent psychologists of the 20th century.
Theories by William James
Pragmatism: James is closely linked with the evolution of pragmatic theory according to which there lies no proof behind an idea. The emphasis should always be on utility on the idea and not the truth behind it.
Functionalism: James was against the structural way of analyzing an event. He proposed an event to be one single one which is influenced by the environmental factors.
James-Lange Theory of Emotion: According to James, any event will result in a physiological response which is to be interpreted. Each interpretation is different thus leading to different emotions on a single event.
Personal life & Legacy
Out of his five siblings, two brothers Henry James and Alice James were well-known novelist and the diarist respectively. The other two were a part of the Civil war.
William James married a schoolteacher Alice Howe Gibbens in 1878. He had five children and stayed in Cambridge post marriage. James was broken after losing their son Herman due to whooping cough at the tender age of 2.
In his childhood he suffered from various health issues related to the eyes, back, skin and stomach. He had some serious psychological ailments such as neurasthenia, depression phases which led to suicidal instincts too.
He finally resorted to experimental treatments for his health issues in 1910 but in vain and he passed away on August 26, 1910, in Chocorua, New Hampshire, due to heat failure and cremated at a family plot in Cambridge Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
// Famous Intellectuals & Academics
William James biography timelines
- // 11th Jan 1842William James was born on January 11, 1842 in Aston House, New York to Henry James, Sr., and Mary Walsh James as their first child.
- // 1860William James’ early interests in drawing took him to study under an American portraitist, William Morris Hunt (1860) though his love for art did not last long due to his lack of contentment and indecisiveness.
- // 1861 To 1869James had always been inflicted by health issues since childhood. His voluntary participation in the American Civil War in 1861 and scientific expedition to Brazil all had to be given up due to health problems. After perpetual breaks, he finally got his medical degree in 1869 but he did not practice.
- // 1863It was only in 1863 that he finally joined the Harvard’s Medical School, before which he studied chemistry and physiology at the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard University.
- // 1872In 1872, he started with teaching physiology and continued to move to anatomy and philosophy.
- // 1878William James married a schoolteacher Alice Howe Gibbens in 1878. He had five children and stayed in Cambridge post marriage. James was broken after losing their son Herman due to whooping cough at the tender age of 2.
- // 1882 To 1883During most part of 1882-1883 James was in Europe visiting laboratories and meeting psychologists to delve deeper in psychological studies and its procedures.
- // 1890The Principles of Psychology (1890), a book that took ten long years to complete but touched some great personalities like Bertrand Russell and John Dewey
- // 1897The Will to Believe and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy: the first book on philosophy which is a dedication to Charles Sanders Peirce (1897).
- // 1899Talks to Teachers on Psychology and to Students on Some of Life’s Ideals (1899).
- // 1907 To 1909Pragmatism (1907) and A Pluralistic Universe (1909) were his last publication during his lifetime.
- // 26th Aug 1910He finally resorted to experimental treatments for his health issues in 1910 but in vain and he passed away on August 26, 1910, in Chocorua, New Hampshire, due to heat failure and cremated at a family plot in Cambridge Cemetery, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
- // 1920The Varieties of Religious Experience (1920) are his lectures based on religious experiences and focused on the underlying basis of religious experiences and the various energies that impact the thought process of religionists.
- // 1920His Collected Essays and Reviews and The Letters of William James were also framed into two volumes by his son Henry (1920)
// Famous Philosophers
William James's FAQ
What is William James birthday?
William James was born at 1842-01-11
When was William James died?
William James was died at 1910-08-26
Where was William James died?
William James was died in Tamworth, New Hampshire
Which age was William James died?
William James was died at age 68
Where is William James's birth place?
William James was born in New York City, New York
What is William James nationalities?
William James's nationalities is American
Who is William James spouses?
William James's spouses is Alice Gibbens
Who is William James siblings?
William James's siblings is Henry James
Who is William James childrens?
William James's childrens is Henry James
What was William James universities?
William James studied at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, Harvard University, Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
What was William James notable alumnis?
William James's notable alumnis is Harvard University
Which company or organization was founded by William James?
William James was the founder/co-founder of American Society for Psychical Research
Who is William James's father?
William James's father is Henry James Sr.
What is William James's sun sign?
William James is Capricorn
How famous is William James?
William James is famouse as Philosopher, Psychologist