Lotze and James

In this paper, I trace the influence of Lotze on the thought of William James. James read and praised Lotze throughout his life, though his influence on one of the founders of American pragmatism has rarely been a topic of investigation. While the influence is not overwhelming, Lotze nevertheless was an important background figure in James’ oeuvre. I divide James’ work up into two periods, first up until the The Principles of Psychology , and the second from there on until his death, the pragmatic phase. I show how Lotze’s influence remains noticeable, though its importance should also not be overstated. Nonetheless, it will be a task for the future to assess Lotze’s influence on pragmatism and American philosophy more generally.