William James’s Assessment of Nihilism as a Psychological Phenomenon
Phainomena December 29, 2024 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.32022/phi33.2024.130-131.2 via DOAJ
Summary
William James, drawing on his own severe depression in 1869-1870, addressed nihilism in his 1896 essay 'Is Life Worth Living?' and the 1902 chapter 'The Sick Soul' from The Varieties of Religious Experience. The article argues that James's solution to nihilism, though differently formulated, is essentially the same as that of Jean Paul and Poul Martin Møller. James's originality lies in treating nihilism as a psychological problem rather than a purely philosophical one.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | William James's proposed solution to nihilism is essentially the same as that of Jean Paul and Poul Martin Møller, but his originality lies in treating the issue as a psychological problem. |
Abstract
The present article examines the contribution to the problem of nihilism found in the American philosopher and psychologist William James, specifically in his essay “Is Life Worth Living?” from 1896 and the chapter “The Sick Soul” from his The Varieties of Religious Experience from 1902. At the age of 27, James suffered a period of intense depression that lasted from the fall of 1869 until the spring of 1870. This experience shaped his views on nihilism. The present article argues that James’s proposed solution to the problem of nihilism, although formulated rather differently, is in essence the same as that of Jean Paul and the Danish thinker Poul Martin Møller. James’s originality can be found in his treatment of the issue as a psychological problem.