Zitate von William James

William James
11.1. 1842 New York – 26.8. 1910 Chocorua (New Hampshire); amerikanischer Philosoph und Psychologe,
Bruder von

Henry James

"A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices."

"Man, biologically considered, and whatever else he may be into the bargain, is the most formidable of all beasts of prey, and, indeed, the only one that preys systematically on his own species."
"Remarks at the Peace Banquet". Lecture 12 in Memories and Studies. New York: Longman Green, 1911: S. 299-306.

"This victorious assimilation of the new is in fact the type of all intellectual pleasure. The lust for it is curiosity. The relation of the new to the old, before the assimilation is performed, is wonder."
The Principles of Psychology, Chap. 19 "The Perception of »Things«", 1890

"But where would it be if we had free-will? rejoin the determinists. If a 'free' act be a sheer novelty, that comes not from me, the previous me, but ex nihilo, and simply tacks itself on to me, how can I, the previous I, be responsible? How can I have any permanent character that will stand still long enough for praise or blame to be awarded?", S. 45
"Some Metaphysical Problems Pragmatically Considered". Lecture 3 in Pragmatism: A new name for some old ways of thinking. New York: Longman Green and Co (1907): 33-48.
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Department of Sociology at Brock University