William James

Biography

William James (1842–1910) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and physician, widely regarded as the father of American psychology and the most influential American philosopher of the 19th century. Born in New York City into a wealthy intellectual family (his brother was the novelist Henry James), he taught at Harvard for over thirty years. His major works include The Principles of Psychology, The Varieties of Religious Experience, and Pragmatism. James developed the philosophical school of pragmatism, which evaluates ideas by their practical consequences, and his work on consciousness, emotion, and religious experience remains foundational.