William James

Definition

William James was an American philosopher and psychologist who was also trained as a physician. He is often referred to as the father of American psychology. His work laid much of the groundwork for modern theories about consciousness, perception, memory, emotion, etc.

Related terms

Pragmatism: A philosophical tradition started by William James which holds that knowledge should be evaluated based on its practical application rather than abstract principles.

Stream Of Consciousness: A concept developed by William James referring to each person’s continuous series of ever-changing thoughts.

Empiricism: The theory that all knowledge originates from experience. It emphasizes experimental data and observable phenomena over innate ideas or traditions.