Quote by: William James

It is as if there were in the human consciousness a sense of reality, a feeling of objective presence, a perception of what we may call ‘something there,’ more deep and more general than any of the special and particular ‘senses’ by which the current psychology supposes existent realities to be originally revealed. If this were so, we might suppose the senses to waken our attitudes and conduct as they so habitually do, by first exciting this sense of reality; but anything else, any idea, for example, that might similarly excite it, would have that same prerogative of appearing real which objects of sense normally possess.


Share this:  

Author Bio


  • NameWilliam James
  • DescriptionAmerican philosopher, psychologist, and pragmatist
  • BornJanuary 11, 1842
  • DiedAugust 26, 1910
  • CountryUnited States Of America
  • ProfessionPhilosopher; Psychologist; Parapsychologist; Pragmatist