William James is considered by many to be the most insightful and stimulating of American philosophers, as well as the second of the three great pragmatists (the middle link between Charles Sanders Peirce and John Dewey).


Born in New York City on January 11, 1842, William James was the oldest of the five children of Henry James, Sr., and Mary Walsh James.  His oldest brother, Henry James, Jr., the renowned writer of fiction, was followed by two other brothers and a sister.  The family frequently moved between America and Europe, the father having inherited an amount of money sufficient to allow him to enjoy the life of an intellectual.  While growing up, William had a passion for drawing.  Since he wanted to become a painter, the family moved to Newport, Rhode Island in 1860, where William studied with the leading American portraitist, William Morris Hunt.  Although he had talent, he gave up this career goal in less than a year.  He had decided that it was insufficient for him to do first-rate work.  All this is indicative of three things:  the family’s remarkable support for his aspirations; his own quest to achieve excellence; and his restless, indecisive difficulty in remaining committed to a career path.