OBITUARY, New York Times
William James Dies; Great Psychologist,
Brother of Novelist and Foremost American Philosopher Was 68 Years Old.
Long Harvard Professor
Virtual Founder of Modern American Psychology, and Exponent of Pragmatism
and Dabbled in Spooks.
Chocorua, N. H., Aug. 26.--Prof. William James of Harvard University,
America's foremost philosophical writer, virtual founder of the modern
school of psychology and exponent of pragmatism, died of heart disease
to-day at his Summer home here. Prof. James, who was 68 years old, had
been in a critical condition since his arrival at Quebec from Europe a week
ago. This morning he took a decided turn for the worse, lapsing into
unconsciousness about noon. He died three hours later, surrounded by his
wife, daughter, son, and his brother, Henry James, the author. It was to
be at the side of the sick bed of his brother Henry that Prof. James
several months ago went abroad. He watched over his brother until he
recovered, then the two made a joint tour through Europe. In one of the
Continental cities Prof. James was attacked by heart disease. Treating the
matter lightly, he continued his travels until his condition became more
alarming, and he turned his steps homeward. With his brother he arrived at
Quebec on Aug. 19. His son met him there and brought him immediately to his
Summer home here. During the week the attending physicians did not see any
cause for immediate fears, although they told the family that their patient
was very ill. This morning Prof. James complained of severe pains, and then
gradually lapsed into unconsciousness.
Prof. James was an active member of the Faculty of
Harvard University from 1872 to 1907, when he announced his
retirement in order to devote himself to his writing. A silver
loving cup was given to him by the advanced students in
philosophy when he met his classes for the last time on Jan. 22,
1907. It was announced then, however, that he was not severing
his connection with the Faculty entirely, but would merely retire
from his lecture room work. The home of Prof. James was on Irving
Street, in Old Cambridge, a stone's throw from the college yard.
It was there that he wrote his "Principles of Psychology," which
brought him much fame and became a standard text book for
university use. It appeared in 1890, after twelve years of
introspective experimentation upon the physiology of the mind.
The book practically founded the modern science of psychology in
America, although some experimental work had been done along the
same line in Europe. Prof. James was one of the group of men who
came under the inspiring influence of Darwin's pupil, Louis
Agassiz, who started him out in a career as a zoologist before
his introspective turn of mind had led him into lines of mental
investigation.
The early youth of Prof. James was spent in New York, where he was
born Jan. 11, 1842. His father, Henry James, a Swedenborgian minister, and
a well-known writer upon Swedenborg, was characterized by James Russell
Lowell as "the best talker in America." The son was not physically strong
as a youth, and was sent to England together with his brother, Henry James,
Jr., the now famous novelist. Upon returning to America in the early '60s
young James entered the Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard. In 1865 he
went to Brazil with the Agassiz expedition, and specialized in the study of
plants and fishes. He decided, however, to abandon this study because, as
he put it, he could never get through his "poor head the horribly long
drawn-out designations." From the Scientific School he turned to medicine,
being graduated from the Harvard Medical School with the degree of M. D. in
1870.
In 1872 Prof. James became instructor and later Assistant Professor of
Comparative Anatomy and Physiology, a post which he retained until 1880.
>From 1880 to 1885 he was Assistant Professor of Philosophy; from 1885 to
1889 professor in the same department. He was Professor of Psychology from
1889 to 1897, and Professor of Philosophy from 1897 to 1907. When he first
took up his mental studies--it was about the time of his graduation in
medicine-- and began to work as an independent investigator, a small
ante-room adjoining Harvard laboratory was furnished him, and there he
collected sheep's heads and frogs and pursued his study of "physiological
psychology." The result in a decade was his famous textbook.
In 1880 he wrote for The Atlantic Monthly "Great Men, Great
Thoughts, and the Environment," and for a long time was a contributor to
The International Journal of Ethics. He was President of the American
Psychological Association and of the International Society for Psychical
Research. Upon his retirement from active teaching he took up a line of
studies seeking "to find a balm for men's souls." He became the chief
American advocate of "pragmatism," a trend in philosophical thought which
holds that "that is true which works." On July 8 of last year he startled
the scientific world by announcing that he had held communication with the
spirit of the late Dr. Richard Hodgson. He made a report upon his supposed
spiritual communication occupying more than 100 pages in the "Proceedings
of the American for Psychical Research," much of the report consisting of
alleged verbatim records of his spooky conversation. "I await more facts,"
he said when questioned about his proofs that it was really Dr. Hodgson who
spoke to him, "facts which may not point clearly to a conclusion for fifty
or a hundred years."
The honorary degrees of Ph.D. and Litt. D. were bestowed upon Prof.
James by Padua in 1893; he was made Doctor of Laws by Princeton in 1896;
Edinburgh in 1902, and Harvard in 1903. He was Gifford lecturer on natural
religion at the University of Edinburgh from 1899 to 1901; a corresponding
member of the Institute of France, and of the Royal Prussian Academy of
Science, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences.
Among his books besides "Principles of Psychology," were "The Will
to Believe and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy," "Talks to Teachers on
Psychology and to Students on Life's Ideals," "Human Immortality--Two
Supposed Objections to the Doctrine," "The Varieties of Religious
Experiences," and "Pragmatism--A New Name for Some Old Ways of Thinking."
Prof. James was married, and his wife and four children survive him.
August 27, 1910
(on the occasion of his birthday, Jan. 11, 1842, and contributed
by Paul Shane and posted on CHEIRON). Happy birthday Willy!
-Stephen
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Stephen Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470
Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661
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