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The Principles of Psychology - Vols. 1-2: (Illustrated) Kindle Edition

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 145 ratings

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This edition of William James' masterwork, The Principles of Psychology, contains his original notes, illustrations, tables and charts which clarify the theory described and arguments made.



Appearing in 1890,
The Principles of Psychology was a landmark text which established psychology as a serious scientific discipline. William James' compiled a convincing, lengthy and broad thesis, devoting detail and vigorous analysis in every chapter. The text's comprehensiveness and superb presentation played a pivotal role in bringing the science of mental health closer toward the scholarly mainstream.



The entire book is set out intuitively: there are two volumes, each of which has a certain number of chapters. While some chapters have sub-sections, James is careful not to make his textbook dry or convoluted in organisation. Each chapter introduces, discusses and concludes on a particular subject - whether it be the role of psychology as an academic and medical discipline, or the various functions of the human brain.



Well-read and familiar with the books of his forerunners, William James nevertheless bristles with originality. Although the reader might be tempted to set aside the book for fear of it being outdated, this attitude is unjustified: the ideas pioneered by James remain as intellectually fresh and thought provoking as they did at the conclusion of the 19th century. The one area of the book belonging firmly in the past - namely the neurological experiments upon animals - stands distinct from the remainder of the principle text.



Although the science of psychology has progressed enormously since William James published this book,
The Principles of Psychology remains a supplementary text in many psychology courses in universities around the world. Concepts which James established, and his personal work on the spiritual element of human psychology, have and continue to inspire new books and theses by professionals and scholars in the field.



William James also summarizes and presents the ideas of other, earlier figures working in the field, some of whom he admires, others he considers with disdain. All however receive hearing and citation in
The Principles of Psychology. The aim for retrospective richness, as well as breadth across every major subject important in the field, further sets this textbook apart.



Unlike other, abridged versions of
The Principles of Psychology, this edition contains the entire text together with the many drawings and diagrams James appended in an effort to communicate better his notions. His notes are also present, and are organised and appended at the conclusion of each chapter for the reader to conveniently reference.

Editorial Reviews

Review

William James's Principles of Psychology has just been reissued in a triumphal new edition. Why reread a 1,300-page book that was written in the 19th century? Because it remains the single greatest work in American psychology. (Psychology Today)

Review

The Principles of Psychology is an American masterpiece which...ought to be read from beginning to end at least once by every person professing to be educated. It is a masterpiece in the classic and total sense --no need of a descriptive or limiting word before or after: not "of observation," or "of prose writing," not more "scientific" than "humanistic." One can point to these and other merits if one is so minded, but the fused substance defies reduction to a list of epithets. No matter how many unexpected qualities are found in it--wit, pathos, imaginative understanding, polemical skill, moral passion, cosmic vision, and sheer learning--the work remains always greater than their sum. (Jacques Barzun, author of A Stroll with William James (Harper & Row, 1983))

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XS57VXC
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 20, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 5496 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 576 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 145 ratings

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Will James
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Will James is a poet. He first took up the guitar at the age of 11 in his hometown of Minneapolis. He moved to Dallas Texas at 17. After spending 4 years in Paris, France, he returned to the United States in 2006.

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4.4 out of 5 stars
145 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2018
    While in today's standards, this classic may not be easy to read by many, those who are hardcore fans of psychology like myself fully appreciate the foundation contribution of American psychology this book offers. While many of James' premises made in this classic have been proven false, you will still greatly appreciate what James gives us in the field of psychology. This is a perfect compliment to textbooks on the history of psychology.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2022
    Came in excellent condition and will be a great read for a new student
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2019
    I've always been interested in Psychology, so I was looking for some history to compare to today. Many psychologists still quote William James. I think he was way ahead of his time in his thinking. Glad I placed the order and endured the wait.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2019
    A classic by a great psychologist, a radical empiricist.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2019
    love my new ebook
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2007
    This 1400-page work in two volumes, published in 1890, is probably the best single survey of psychology ever written.

    The work is of imposing size, but James covers such a wide field, so thoroughly and so engagingly, that to my own surprise I read both volumes cover to cover, back to back. The two volumes comprise 28 chapters, including "The Functions of the Brain", "Habit", "The Stream of Thought", "Attention", "Association", "Memory", "Imagination", "The Perception of Reality", "Reasoning", and "Will"--to name just a few that I found the most fascinating.

    James's reasoning is sharp and subtle, his writing clear and vigorous. The qualities of his own mind, which come through in the prose, are astonishing: he is both skeptical and open-minded, deeply versed in the existing literature, and an original and fearless thinker. He must have been a fantastic prof.

    I was a little afraid that the age of the book would make it antique, with fusty 19th-century notions that have long since been disproved. Not a bit! With few exceptions, the material is as fresh and relevant today as it was in 1890. Even the material on brain physiology and function, an area where the 20th century can claim to have made some progress, was sharp, perceptive, and interesting.

    The advent of Freud, Pavlov, and others in the 20th century seemed to push certain theoretical ideas about the mind to the forefront, putting other, older ideas in the shade. My prejudice was that they had made 19th-century psychology irrelevant. I was wrong. There were many able minds studying psychology long before Freud, and their findings and views are well worth knowing. Among other things, James's book is a treasure-trove of psychological thinking up to the time of his writing, including many extracts by other researchers, both those he admires and those he is critical or dismissive of.

    James, of course, was not merely a psychologist; he was also a philosopher. If I had to give a single reason why I think this book is excellent, it would be that James fearlessly tackles questions lying at the boundary of what today are seen as distinct disciplines. Here you'll find penetrating, persuasive insights into the nature of reasoning, logic, and the will, as well as the origin of aesthetic and moral ideas. James is as thoroughly versed in the works and ideas of Kant, Hume, Berkeley, Locke, and Mill as he is in those of his fellow psychologists. He confronts the thinking of the greatest minds with complete confidence, using his laserlike intellect to discover their obscurities and contradictions. He is their peer.

    At the same time, James is humane and folksy in his style, often making references to his own experience, domestic life, and the little experiments he often performed on himself or his students. He writes with candor, humanity, and honesty. Time and again he comes to conclusions or makes observations that cut to the core of human experience altogether.

    Technically this is a textbook surveying psychology, probably for a first-year introductory course. It bears almost no resemblance to the dry, cautious tomes that usually fill that role. It is an impassioned work by a learned, deep, and original mind explaining his own conclusions on this vast and elusive topic, based on long study, experiment, and careful thought. It is one of a kind. If you're interested in the human mind, this book is for you.
    51 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2015
    The classic psychology text, historically influential and still not entirely superseded.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2019
    I’ll skip the material of the book, which if you’re reading this review you already know is 5 stars. I’m writing this review to advise you folks that this particular publication is so disappointing. I was very excited to see the complete tables and charts listed in the description, but they are all blurry! Like really blurry. So is the front cover picture!
    I am blown away. For such an otherwise great book, especially containing both volumes, what a silly thing to completely overlook and ignore. I’ll look for an older edition. Buyer beware.
    23 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Sharalone
    5.0 out of 5 stars Capolavoro
    Reviewed in Italy on August 7, 2024
    Testo fondamentale e originale quanto misconosciuto. Unico problema il formato gigantesco del libro, che obbliga a una lettura con il testo su un tavolo o leggío
  • NVVR.
    1.0 out of 5 stars sucks
    Reviewed in Canada on March 5, 2021
    inferior quality, flimsy, and diagrams blurry
  • Merp Merpson
    2.0 out of 5 stars incredibly squashed
    Reviewed in Germany on December 19, 2019
    The book does in fact contain both volumes, but the formatting is so tight and squashed that it's a very displeasing reading experience. I returned it to buy the volumes separately.
  • chrissi dean
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 18, 2019
    Great book great for all those starting out in psychology
  • FARISSI MUSTAPHA
    5.0 out of 5 stars Un livre prodige !
    Reviewed in France on July 13, 2019
    Il analyse le comportement humain et le mécanisme psychique sous différents angles.
    c’est aussi un recueil surprenant.

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