This "Father of Psychology" born in New York City in 1842 was also known for his leadership in philosophy. He offered the first course of psychology in schools of the United States. He also studied medicine but psychology was his main interest. His father Henry James, too, was a savant as was his son William. He also had a brother named Henry, a writer too. William James wrote, "Religion is a chapter in the history of human egotism. Included in his classical works is The Varieties of Religious Experience published by Harvard University. In this classic book he wrote, "Belief in life is worth living and your very belief will help create the fact." But he wrote that people have lost faith in a meaningful universe as a deep malaise affects modern society. Perhaps, endless wars and training youths to sacrifice their lives in proxy civil wars also affects children and families who have lost a multitude of their loved ones to nuclear missiles and toxic chemical explosions as those left to endure lives of sadness are the tragedies in Syria where Jesus walked on the Damascus road. The shortest verse in the New Testament is "Jesus wept." These refugees from this land weep oceans of tears.
Helene C. Smith, World Enlightened News, W.E.N.
