William James was born this day in New York in 1842. James went on to found, with others, the quintessentially American philosophy of Pragmatism. Still today, William James’ series of lectures called “The Varieties of religious experience” is worth reading for our more skeptical sister and brothers. James was a psychologist and philosopher of the most profound sort and his views on many subjects offer insights and food for thought.
– Posted by Douglas Racionzer (serendipiday.blogspot.com)