William James, MD: Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician

William James' first book explores his preoccupation with medical ideas, concerns, and values across his work, revealing how his interest in medicine influenced his life and work. It establishes the relevance of medical themes to his major lines of thought and shows that his philosophizing was an impassioned response to his own life experiences and challenges.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 06 December 2023
Publisher: The University of Chicago Press

William James, a renowned philosopher, psychologist, and psychical researcher of the nineteenth century, is often recognized for his profound contributions to the field. However, less attention has been paid to the profound influence of medicine on his life and work, shaping his ambitious endeavor to transform the way American society perceived itself in terms of body, mind, and soul. In his book, William James, MD, Dr. Emma K. Sutton provides a comprehensive account of the evolution and cultural significance of James' ideas and works, shedding light on the relevance of medical themes to his major philosophical lines of thought.

James lived in a time when prevailing assumptions about faith and the moral and religious possibilities for human worth and redemption were gradually being replaced by a growing emphasis on the medically "normal" and the potential for perfecting the body. These ideas found their way into his treatises, which cautioned against the decline of humanity and reflected the growing social stigma associated with illness and invalidism. It is within this disturbing intellectual current that James felt personally implicated, leading him to explore these medical themes in his writings.

Most accounts of James' life have portrayed him as a distressed young man who underwent a psychological or spiritual crisis before emerging as a mature thinker who overcame his mental illness. In contrast, Dr. Sutton draws on James' personal correspondence, unpublished notebooks, and diaries to present a different narrative. She reveals that James considered himself a genuine invalid until the end of his days. Sutton compellingly argues that James' philosophizing was not an abstract pursuit but a deeply personal response to his own life experiences and challenges. To overlook the medical aspect of James' life is to miss the essence of his intellectual legacy entirely.

In conclusion, William James' interest in medicine had a profound impact on his life and work, shaping his philosophical ideas and contributing to his intellectual legacy. By examining the medical themes present in his writings, Dr. Sutton sheds light on the personal and societal factors that influenced his thought and reveals the deeply personal nature of his philosophizing. This book offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of James and his place in the history of philosophy.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780226828985