James H. Leuba

James Henry Leuba (April 9, 1868 – December 8, 1946) was an American psychologist best known for his contributions to the psychology of religion. His son Clarence James Leuba was also a psychologist and taught at Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio.[1]

James Henry Leuba
BornApril 9, 1868 (1868-04-09)
Motiers, Neuchatel, Switzerland
DiedDecember 8, 1946 (1946-12-09) (aged 78)
SpouseBertha Aline Schopher
Children7
Era19th/20th century philosophy
RegionWestern Philosophy and Psychology
SchoolNaturalism
Academic advisorsG. Stanley Hall
Main interests
Naturalism, psychology, psychology of religion, mysticism

Career

Leuba was born in Neuchâtel Switzerland, and later moved to America. He took his Ph.D. at Clark University under G. Stanley Hall.[1] His work was marked by a tendency to explain mysticism and other religious experiences in psychological terms. Philosophically, his position may be described as naturalism.[2] His work points to similarities between religious mysticism and yoga or drug-induced mysticism; he does accept differences between these in terms of moral motivation and to what uses mysticism is put.[3] His psychological study of religion aroused opposition from churchmen.[1] He argued for a naturalistic treatment of religion, which he considered to be necessary if religious psychology was to be looked at scientifically. He was an atheist.[4]

Bibliography

See also

References

  1. McBride, Katharine E. (1947). James Henry Leuba: 1867-1946. American Journal of Psychology 60 (4): 645-646.
  2. Atheist Scholar
  3. PsycNET
  4. Martin, Michael. (2007). The Cambridge Companion to Atheism. Cambridge University Press. p. 310. ISBN 9780521842709. "Among celebrity atheists with much biographical data, we find leading psychologists and psychoanalysts. We could provide a long list, including...James Leuba..."


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