William+James+5

= William James **﻿ ** "Be not afraid of life. Belive that life is worth living, and your belife will help create the fact." -William James =

January 11, 1842-August 26, 1910 Psychologist & Philosopher **Education Background** In 1855-8 William attended school in Geneva and Paris. He developed an interest in painting and science. Later he studied painting with William Hunt in Newport, Rhode Island. Afterwards he studied science at Geneva Academy, returned to Newport and decides to resume his study in painting. In 1861 he abandoned painting and entered Lawrence Scientific School at Harvard. He switched to school of medicine 3 years later at harvard. The next year he joined the Amazon expidition of his teacher Louis Agrassiz collecting specimens. When he came back he returned to medical school. A year later he traveled to Europe for health and education, then studied physiology at Berlin University. In 1869 he recieved is M.D degree but never practiced. He suffered from depression for a couple years putting a hold on his education. Afterwards he accepted an offer from President Eliotof Harvard to teach undergraduate course in comparative physiology. And accepted an appointment to teach a full year of anatomy and physiology, but postpones for a year to travel in Europe. He published a lot of books on psychology and physiology. From 1885 to 1892 he taught psychology and pysiology at Harvard. He then published more books. He became an active member of the Anti Imperialist league, opposing U.S policy in The Phillipines. Resigned from Harvard Professoship and published more books. **Evolutionary Perspective** William James focused more on the behavior, mental processes, and the adaption of the humans minds. He believed that altering attitudes of one's mind can alter one's life and that we feel sorry because we cry, angry because we strike, afraid because we tremble, and not that we cry, strike, or tremble, because we are sorry, angry, or fearful, as the case may be. **Accomplishments** In September of 1890 James published his two volume set of //The Principals of Psychology// which was combined in 1892 into one that was easier to read. The seccond version was called //Psychology: The Briefer Course.// William concentrated on the mind of self and disagreed that psychology was just on the functioning of the human brain. Another major accomplishment he had in the field of psychology is that in 1897 he published 10 essays that had his most expressive statements in his book //Will to Belive and Other Essays.// William James also came up with the idea of pragmatism which he summarized as psychology is not a science but it follows scientific procedures. His book //Pragmatism// was published in 1907. He had ben giving lectures and speeches about the topic since 1906 at Lowell Institute and Columbia. James personal accomplishments include getting married to Alice Howe Gibbins on July 20 1878, **Contributations** In July of 1892 he starts giving lectures at Cambridge to teachers about phycology and how it could help teachers. He was giving more and more lectures and he wanted a break so he took some time off and traveled. During his time in Europe he wrote some of his most famous books. Writing more than 9 books and giving many lectures he was reconized as the first man to come up with pragmatism. When he resigned from Harvard his students gave him gifts of reconition and he was greatly appriciated. When he died in 1910 people knew him as the phychologist that thought of the universe in mind and not always observable. media type="custom" key="6878631"

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