Quotes by William James

William James trained as a physician, founded the first psychology laboratory in the United States, and wrote the textbook that defined the field for a generation. He then turned to philosophy and became the leading exponent of pragmatism — the view that an idea's meaning lies in its practical consequences. The Varieties of Religious Experience treats belief as evidence about human beings rather than about God. He also suffered long periods of depression, which informs the essays on will and habit.