William James

Born in New York City on January 11, 1842, William James became one of the most influential American thinkers of his era. He taught at Harvard and is widely recognized as an early pioneer of psychology in the United States, while also building a major reputation as a philosopher.

James is especially known for helping shape pragmatism, an approach that judges ideas by their practical consequences, and for advancing functionalism in psychology. His best-known books include The Principles of Psychology and The Varieties of Religious Experience, works that brought together science, philosophy, and a deep interest in how people actually live, feel, and choose.

He died on August 26, 1910, in Chocorua, New Hampshire. More than a century later, readers still return to him for his energetic, humane way of thinking about consciousness, faith, freedom, and the uses of experience.