William James is a great example of why suicide is often a bad idea. As a young student, he sunk into depression but pulled himself up and became one of America’s greatest thinkers, including contributions to philosophy and psychology. The world would have been poorer had he died before fulfilling his potential and his work continues to have influence today. University of Massachusetts philosophy professor John Kaag says that James’ “philosophy of healthy-mindedness” helped to save his own life during a troubled period.
It’s tempting after the first pages to expect an upmarket self-help book. Instead, Sick Souls, Healthy Minds is a highly readable summary of James’ life and thoughts with asides on how his ideas just might help readers confront their problems. James’ anxiety was grounded on hopelessness, the thought that life “could not transcend its fated condition.” The philosophical term for this is determinism, the idea that we are fated to be what we are and have little ability to change or chose. Influenced by a now-obscure French philosopher, Charles Renouvier, James reembraced free will. Human's agency despite being formed and shaped by forces and events over which we have no control.
That sense of life’s possibilities led James to conclude that reality cannot be reduced to logical dictates or empirical verification. It’s up to each of us to make something of our lives from the material at hand. “Be not afraid of life,” James reminds us.
