Showing results for "William James" in Philosophy

William James was one of the most influential figures in 19th-century American philosophy and psychology. His Pragmatism is a set of lectures that he gave in 1906-07 in answer to the enduring debate between empiricism and rationalism. Shifting between them, he proposed pragmatism as a method, the idea being that the value of any truth is dependent upon its utility–upon its practical and experiential consequences.

This landmark work by William James remains one of the most insightful books on psychology and spirituality. James considers the feelings, actions, and experiences of individuals, insofar as they understand themselves to be in a relationship with the divine. It examines the religion of everyday life and has nothing to do with doctrine or dogma.

In 1895, William James, the father of American philosophy, delivered a lecture entitled "Is Life Worth Living?" It was no theoretical question for James, who had contemplated suicide during an existential crisis as a young man a quarter century earlier. Sick Souls, Healthy Minds is a compelling introduction to James's life and thought that shows why the founder of pragmatism and empirical psychology -and an inspiration for Alcoholics Anonymous - can still speak so directly and profoundly to anyone struggling to make a life worth living.

One of the great fears many of us face is that despite all our effort and striving, we will discover at the end that we have wasted our life. In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives. In A Guide to the Good Life, Irvine offers a refreshing presentation of Stoicism, showing how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life.

First published in 1905, The Varieties of Religious Experience is a collection of lectures given at the University of Edinburgh in 1901 and 1902. William James was a psychologist and, as such, his interest in religion was not that of a theologian but of a scientist. In these 20 lectures, he discusses the nature and origin of religious belief. The average believer is one who has inherited his religion, but this will not do for James's inquiry.

The Varieties of Religious Experience A Study in Human Nature is a groundbreaking work by Harvard psychologist and philosopher William James. Based on his captivating Gifford Lectures on Natural Theology delivered at the University of Edinburgh from 1901 to 1902, this book explores the essence of religion and critiques the lack of scientific inquiry in the academic study of faith. Since its release, it has become a cornerstone in both psychology and philosophy, remaining relevant and in print for over a century. (Summary by Wikipedia)

American psychologist William James (1842-1910) was also a philosopher of considerable repute and borrowed the theory of pragmatism first put forward by Charles Peirce to help form his own interpretation of the philosophy. Pragmatism: A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking is based on the notion that the meaning of any idea is valid only if it works both experientially and practically. The book consists of a series of eight lectures, delivered at the Lowell Institute in Boston in November and December of 1906, and at Columbia University in January 1907.

In the years leading up to his passing, Professor William James dedicated himself to articulating his thoughts on key metaphysical issues in a book intended for philosophy enthusiasts. He began crafting this introductory textbook for students in metaphysics in March 1909, driven by a deep ambition to complete it. Unfortunately, illness and other demands on his waning strength hindered his progress, and what is now available represents the entirety of his work at the time of his death in August 1910. - Summary by Henry James, Jr.

In The Moral Equivalent of War, William Jamess final public statement explores the growing interest in international peace from a practical psychologists perspective. For over fifteen years, the movement advocating for global peace has rallied support from diverse organizations and individuals around the globe. Though a pacifist, James recognizes the value of certain human virtues that militarism fosters, arguing that until the peace movement presents a viable moral equivalent to the discipline of war, its idealistic aspirations remain both undesirable and unattainable. His proposals serve ...

William James (1842 – 1910) was a groundbreaking American psychologist and philosopher whose work has left a lasting impact on the fields of psychology, education, and spirituality. His influential writings explore the intricacies of the human experience, touching on themes of pragmatism, religious experience, and mysticism. Essays in Radical Empiricism is a thought-provoking collection of his essays, carefully curated and published posthumously in 1912 by his colleague and biographer, Ralph Barton Perry. This compilation brings together a series of journal articles that James penned between...

'Pragmatism' contains a series of public lectures held by William James in Boston 1906–7. James provides a popularizing outline of his view of philosophical pragmatism while making highly rhetorical and entertaining lashes towards rationalism and other competing schools of thought. James is especially concerned with the pragmatic view of truth. True beliefs should be defined as, according to James, beliefs that can successfully assist people in their everyday life. This is claimed to not be relativism. That reality exists is argued to be a fact true beyond the human subject. James argues, ...

Embark on a profound exploration of spirituality through four transformative works. From the death and rebirth of a living land in England/Albion to the apocalyptic visions of the Book of Revelations, this journey traverses the depths of the soul. Discover the insights from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, and Dantes epic odyssey through Hell and Purgatory, culminating in a divine reunion with his beloved Beatrice and God. Here, you will uncover four pathways to save your soul, rejuvenate a scarred land, and step into the New Jerusalem. - Summary by Tony Addison

The Varieties of Religious Experience is considered to be the classic work in the field. To quote Wikipedia, "James was most interested in understanding personal religious experience. The importance of James to the psychology of religion - and to psychology more generally - is difficult to overstate. He discussed many essential issues that remain of vital concern today. What makes James writing so special is that he could take a very complex subject and, without watering it down, make it understandable to 'the rest of us.'"

American philosopher and psychologist William James was considered one of the late 19th century's leading thinkers and the "Father of American Psychology". This collection of essays includes four on James' belief that religious faith is an acceptable way of viewing the world, despite the absence of empirical evidence; the remaining papers include a discussion of the important contributions of individuals to society, a criticism of Hegelisms, and his curiosity in the matter of psychical research.

In his book Pragmatism, William James attacked the transcendental, rationalist tradition in philosophy and tried to clear the ground for the doctrine he called radical empiricism. The book caused an uproar; it was greeted with praise, hostility, and ridicule. Determined to clarify the pragmatic conception of truth, James collected nine essays he had written on this subject before he wrote Pragmatism and six written later in response to criticisms of that volume by Bertrand Russell and others. He published the collection under the title "The Meaning of Truth" in 1909, the year before his death.

William James (1842 - 1910) was a psychologist and a philosopher of note. For James, pragmatism meant an emphasis on radical empiricism and the concept that the meaning of any idea is valid only in terms of its experiential and practical consequences. He tests competing systems of thought in the marketplace of actual experience to determine their validity. The intent is to see whether a particular philosophical theory or way of looking at the world makes an actual difference in individual conduct.

A Pluralistic Universe by the philosopher and psychologist William James (1842-1910) is based on a series of lectures held at Oxford University in 1908. James is mainly concerned with the nature of relations, stating the possibility of external relations which were excluded from monistic idealism. James maintains that we are guided by beliefs that we attempt to justify in order to keep our beliefs going.

Pragmatism, America's homegrown philosophy, has been a major intellectual movement for over a century. Unlike its rivals, it reaches well beyond the confines of philosophy into concerns and disciplines as diverse as religion, politics, science, and culture. In this concise, engagingly written overview, John R. Shook describes pragmatism's origins, concepts, and continuing global relevance and appeal.

William James, brother of novelist Henry James, was an American philosopher as well as a psychologist. He was the first educator to offer a psychology course in the United States. James was one of the leading thinkers of the late 19th century and is one of the most influential philosophers the United States has ever produced. He has been called the "Father of American psychology".

Liberty or Justice for All? brings to life four of America's greatest thinkers, whose dialogue across the ages has never been more relevant.