William James
Pre-reading
William James (1842-1910) was an American philosopher, psychologist and physician who was known as one of the leading thinkers of the late nineteenth century. James is believed to be one of the most influential American philosophers. He is considered to be one of the major figures associated with the philosophical school known as pragmatism, and is also cited as one of the founders of functional psychology. A Review of General Psychology survey (2002) ranked James as the 14th most cited psychologist of the 20th century. He also developed the philosophical perspective known as radical empiricism.
James’ work influenced many, including Presidents. On April 17, 1977, President Jimmy Carter made the speech “Moral Equivalent of War”, equating the United States’ 1970s crisis in energy and the changes and sacrifices Carter’s proposed plans would require with the “moral equivalent of war”. The speech may have borrowed the title of James’ classic essay The Moral Equivalent of War, and much of its theme and the memorable phrase derived from his last speech, delivered at Stanford University in 1906, in which James considered one of the classic problems of politics: how to sustain political unity and civic virtue in the absence of war.
Prompts for Your Reading
1.According to James, “There is something highly paradoxical in the modern man’s relation to war.” Find out what is in his mind.
2.If it is understandable for ancient martial tribes to enjoy hunting, then why are modern men fascinated by the wars?
3.What does the author want to tell us when he describes the Peloponnesian war?
4.What is the cruelty like in the Roman conquest of Greece?
5.James says, “Our ancestors have bred pugnacity into our bone and marrow, and thousands of years of peace won’t breed it out of us.” What does this mean?
6.What does the author mean by “present-day civilized opinion” of war and peace?