James, William

James, William (1842–ca. 1910) American psychologist and philosopher William James is credited with many notable achievements, including the publication of a book, Principles of Psychology (1890), that helped to establish the study of the human mind as a science. In terms of the paranormal, though, perhaps his most significant achievement was the credibility his participation gave to early psychical research because he was a prominent Harvard professor who taught anatomy, physiology, psychology, and philosophy. James was considered a leader in the scientific study of psychic phenomena and was one of the founders of the American Society for Psychical Research in 1885. He decided to create this group, which primarily investigated the claims of mediums, after speaking with psychical researcher Henry Sidgwick, then the head of a similar group in England, the Society for Psychical Research. James also had a lifelong interest in mystical experiences, which he discusses in his book The Varieties of Religious Experience (1902), and much of his work was devoted to trying to bridge the gap between spirituality and psychiatry.

SEE ALSO:

• American Society for Psychical Research
• Mysticism
• Henry Sidgwick

SOURCE:

The Greenhaven Encyclopedia of Paranormal Phenomena – written by Patricia D. Netzley © 2006 Gale, a part of Cengage Learning