Abraham Tucker as an 18th-century William James: Stream of consciousness, role of examples, and the importance of writing
February 1, 2012 M. Billig
The neglected 18th-century English philosopher Abraham Tucker is argued to be important for psychology, with notable similarities to William James. Both shared a humorous, humane style focused on concrete examples from everyday life rather than abstract theories. Substantively, Tucker, like James, viewed consciousness as a stream occurring over time. Both emphasized habit's role in individual and social life and depicted infants as overwhelmed by sensation. Tucker may have been neglected because he challenged the ideal of the conscious, rational ego before unconscious thinking gained acceptance. This comparison serves a critical purpose: psychology's rhetoric matters, and warm-hearted writing has value beyond theory and methodology.