Who was William James?

William James (January 11, 1842 – August 26, 1910) was a pioneering American psychologist and philosopher. He wrote influential books on the young science of psychology, educational psychology, psychology of religious experience and mysticism, and the philosophy of pragmatism.

He recognized the importance of research, and familiarized his students with it. Constantly striving for open empiricism, to observe without the prejudice of a theory, he is recognized as the founding father of the experimental psychology. He was a gifted and loved teacher, critical of his own teaching techniques, and aware of the needs of his students.

If you want to know more about Wiliam James and his publications, take a look at the following websites:
Wikipedia
Stanford University
Emory University