The Influence of Literature in the Life and Work of William James

FAIN: FT-53805-05

David Edward Leary
University of Richmond (Richmond, VA 23173-0001)

This proposal requests support for research and writing on an overlooked aspect of the life and work of William James (1842-1910). Successful completion of this project will enhance appreciation of literature’s role in the history of American thought, clarify the influence of particular authors on the theories of this important founder of scientific psychology and philosophical pragmatism, provide detailed examples of how specific lines of influence can be disentangled from common cultural suppositions, and show how ideas taken from literature can be used in creative and innovative ways to transform other disciplines.