William James : Writings 1878-1899 : Psychology, Briefer Course / The Will to Believe / Talks to Teachers and Students / Essays (Library of America) [Hardcover]

William James (Author)

Book Description

Release date: June 1, 1992 | ISBN-10: 0940450720 | ISBN-13: 978-0940450721

The brilliant, engagingly written early works of the writer and teacher who has profoundly influenced the way Americans think. "The Will to Believe and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy" argues that each of us has the right to believe in hypotheses that are not susceptible to proof and that such beliefs might actually change the world. Also includes "Psychology: Briefer Course," a condensed and revised version of the monumental "Principles of Psychology," "Talks to Teachers and Students," and nine important essays.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The Library of America is an award-winning, nonprofit program dedicated to publishing America's best and most significant writing in handsome, enduring volumes, featuring authoritative texts. Hailed as "the most important book-publishing project in the nation's history" (Newsweek), this acclaimed series is restoring America's literary heritage in "the finest-looking, longest-lasting edition ever made" (New Republic).

About the Author

Older brother of novelist Henry James, William James (1842-1910) was a philosopher, psychologist, physiologist, and professor at Harvard. James has influenced such twentieth-century thinkers as Richard Rorty, Jurgen Habermans, Michel Foucault, and Julia Kristeva.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1212 pages
• Publisher: Library of America (June 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0940450720
• ISBN-13: 978-0940450721
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 1.5 x 8.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #76,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars William James in the Library of America August 2, 2007

By Robin Friedman HALL OF FAMETOP 50 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

The Library of America has performed a great service by making the writings of the American psychologist and philosopher William James (1842 -- 1910) available to a large audience in two large volumes. Volume 1, which I am reviewing here, consists of James's earlier writings from the period 1878 -- 1899. It includes the "Psychology: Briefer Course" (1892), the "Will to Believe and other Essays in Popular Philosophy" (1897), "Talks to Teachers on Psychology and to Students on Some of Life's Ideals" (1899), and selected essays. The second volume of the series includes James' major works from 1900 until his death, including the "Varieties of Religious Experience", "Pragmatism", and "A Pluralistic Universe, and additional essays. The two collections do not include James's monumental "Principles of Psychology" (1890), his first important book and the product of twelve years of effort. The "Principles" would require a separate volume of its own. But they include virtually all James's other essential writings and offer an excellent way for the reader to get to know James first-hand and in-depth.

In reading both volumes, I was left with the impression of the continuity of James's themes and thought. James was trained as an MD, the only academic degree he ever received. He began with an interest in Darwin's theory of evolution and in physiology. He soon expanded his interests and became an important founder of modern psychology. His later work develops philosophies of pragmatism, radical empiricism, and pluralism.

This collection of James's early writings shows that James's philosophical concerns pervaded his writing, including his scientific writing, from the outset.... James was an empiricist and a scientist committed, as the "Psychology" and several of the essays in this volume show to careful and painstaking scientific research. But James was far from advocating a philosophy of materialism or what today is called scientism or reductionism. Throughout his life, he was preoccupied with showing the complex and many-faceted character of human life. The determinism of the scientific method, for James, did not negate human purpose, activity, and free will. And, most importantly, for James, it did not negate the possibility of religious life or belief in God. In his famous essay "The Will to Believe" included in this volume (which would have better been called "The Right to Believe") and in its companion essays, James argued at length that the teachings and method of science did not destroy the possibility of religion.

In approaching this volume of James's early writings, it might be advantageous for the new reader to distinguish between James's more accessible, popular efforts and his more technical works. An excellent place for the new reader to start in this volume would be with the three essays to students in the "Talks to Teachers and to Students." The essay "On a Certain Blindness in Human Beings" is a wonderful brief introduction to James as it shows eloquently how every person tends to see the world through his own eyes and to ignore or downplay the thoughts and insights of other people. Following the three essays in Talks to Students, I suggest reading James' 1898 essay "Philosophical Conceptions and Practical Results" delivered in 1898 in Berkeley, California. In this essay, James first announced and articulated his philosophy of pragmatism, and stated his indebtedness to his philosophical colleagues Charles Peirce and Josiah Royce. This essay makes inspiring reading. James is direct and eloquent in relating his pragmatic philosophy to the religious quest.

After reading these short essays, a good next step would be to read the collection "The Will to Believe and Other Essays in Popular Philosophy." In this collection, James is addressing educated college audiences as he explores questions of religious faith, free will, pluralism, and ethics. The final essay in this volume of James's writings, "On Immortality" can be read together with the essays in "The Will to Believe."

The two remaining books in this collection are both derived from James's massive "Principles of Psychology." The "Talks to Teachers" is short and accessible. It focuses on how psychology can be used to advantage in teaching young students. This short book offers an insightful and accessible introduction to James's psychology. Here is one of the more inspring passages in James from the "Memory" chapter of "Talks to Teachers" on the value of perserverence and purpose and the will to learn in the face of obstacles.

"Depend upon it, no one need be too much cast down by the discovery of his deficiency in any elementary faculty of the mind. What tells in life is the whole mind working together, and the deficiencies of any one faculty can be compensated by the efforts of the rest. You can be an artist without visual images, a reader without eyes, a mass of erudition with a bad elementary memory. In almost any subject your passion for the subject will save you. If you only care enough for a result, you will almost certainly attain it. If you wish to be rich, you will be rich; if you wish to be learned, you will be learned; if you wish to be good, you will be good. Only you must, then, really wish these things, and wish them with exclusiveness, and not wish at the same time a hundred other incompatible things just as strongly." (p. 790)

The "Psychology: Briefer Course" was an abridgment James prepared of his "Principles" for use in college introductory courses in psychology. Even though it is an abridgment, the book includes a great deal of detail. It develops James's thought on the "stream of consciousness" and on the nature of the "self" and it is interlaced throughout with observations on the relationship between psychology, philosophy, and religion. Several of the remaining essays in the volume take up themes articulated in the "Psychology" and develop them in substantial technical detail.

James was an eloquent writer. His pragmatic philosophy has been highly influential, with thinkers such as Richard Rorty and Hilary Putnam acknowledging its influence. James preoccupation of reconciling the scientific and religious outlooks on life remains much with us. There is no better way to become involved with James's thoughts and issues than by serious and sustained reading of his works. The two volumes in the Library of America series will allow the reader to explore the work of William James. Readers wanting to get to know William James may also wish to read Robert Richardson's excellent biography "William James: In the Maelstrom of American Modernism".

Robin Friedman Read more ›

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Atheist & The Will to Believe August 10, 2005

By Bill Abendroth

Format:Hardcover

OK--I readily admit it: I am both a big loser & a nerd. I had heard passing reference to William James is the abundance of schooling I have had, but never tried to read anything he wrote. Then, during one otherwise unmemorable episode of Star Trek--Next Generation, Patrick Stewart qua Captain Picard was enthralled with an "antique" volume by William James. The show did not mention which work it was--but that was good enough for me! And, courtesy of the fine people at Library of America, I picked up this edition.

First, in terms of Library of America editions, these are AMAZING. They are the right size in not being too big, but also are not what we used to call "trade paper backs" which are so hard to read. The binding is tight, yet the books easily lay flat. The paper is thin enough so the reader doesn't struggle with a three inch thick giant, yet thick enough to take lots of page turning. The selection & research that goes into producing each volume is second to none, and the works couldn't be more faithful. Most importantly, the books are priced to sell: you will be buying an edition meant to spread these works to the masses, one that will last a good long time & many readings. You are *not* buying a work of art, or an "investment" edition, or something that looks great on your book shelf. You're buying a book for reading. If you're looking for any work at all, and it comes in a Library of America edition, buy that book.

In terms of the specifics of William James, I'm pleased to report that Captain Picard once again shows that he knows his onions. For a book written before the turn of the century (and I mean the one one before the last turn), Dr. James writing style holds up remarkably well.... All too often, books from that time period are simply unreadable, becasue writing styles have changed so much. Not so with William James. His writing & arguments are clear, interesting, even charming. He writes with a gentle amusment, especially when addressing difficult and challenging topics.

In terms of specific content, The Will to Believe is a defense of a certain type of belief in the face of rampent rationalism. James begins by pointing out the trivial nature of what passes for "belief," specifically dismissing "Pascal's wager" (You should believe in god because if you believe in god & there's no god, you haven't lost anything. But if you don't believe in god & there is a god, holy hades batman! That's bad!). Whatever "belief" may be, it is not "hedging your bets."

What James advoctates is a system of belief that strives for absolutes, yet always encourages skepticism and a scientific basis supporting those conclusions. James criticizes those who contend that no such absolutes exist, ironicly largely based on faith. While James may personally believe that such absolutes exist and can be discovered, those answers are found through search, evaluation, and careful study. While humans ultimately not discover those truths, it is still vital that we continue to seek them out.

I didn't agree with everything James argued, but found his viewpoint interesting and well worth considering. His writing is not as clear as Bertrand Russell's, but surprisingly Russell is the philosopher that James's work seemed closest.

If you have any interest in philosophy, especially on the shaddy lines between "psychology" and "philosphy," then this is a great place to go to. Don't wait for any other Star Trek captains to pick up this book--Lord only knows what else those guys (and Janeway) may be picking up......... Read more ›

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars very good August 2, 2001

By James Erickson

Format:Hardcover

any lover of philosophy OR psychology should doubtlessly buy this book. if you are interested in the work of William James, and are searching for the right compilation of his writings, you have found it, no doubt. but i strongly recommend buying the second volume to this, which basically looks the same but with a different picture on him on it and obviously other works by him.

now as for the works themselves.... Will does seem to change his basis for thought a lot of the time. one thing that particularly got to me is his lack of psychological/scientific integration into his "the moral philosopher". it is nevertheless a wonderful peice. and the writing is wonderful.... his talks to teachers and students being the more effortlessly read. Psychology: Briefer Course outlines psychology in a way that allows us to think in a way that integrates actual physical psychology into our perspective, instead of mystical talk of "souls", etc.

The Will to Believe is a collection of enthrawling works, and i particularly enjoyed talks to teachers and students. i can say my favorite work in this book is "On a Certain Blindness", one of the 3 talks to students. when philosophy becomes spiritual, is when you know you can really use it. a great book, buy it.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Believing may be justified even when we don't have sufficient evidence November 15, 2005

By Shalom Freedman HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWER

Format:Hardcover

These are the early writings of James, including the textbook for his course in psychology. The most well- known piece here is his essay on the 'Will to Believe'. Here James worked to contravene the principal enunciated by the philosopher Clifford that it is wrong to believe anything anywhere for which there is not sufficient evidence. James instead insisted that our passionate life, our life in decision means that we must make choices. And this leads us to believe in certain religious principles we do not have evidence to prove.

James here as elsewhere in his thought rejects a kind of Olympian and abstract stance, and tries to feel into and understand our actual way of being in everyday life.( Also with the mystical researches he would include in the 'Variety of Religious Experiences' in not so 'everyday life')

It is almost as if he is seeking to present a democratic philosophy, one which can defend and be understood by the man in the street.

James is for a philosopher a very clear writer.

I would only add that there is a second Volume of James' writing in the American Library which includes his 'Pragmatism' and 'Varieties of Religious Experience' a volume even deeper and more significant than this very valuable one.