Genius, madness, mimesis, and pragmatism in William James’s religion

The philosopher and religion psychologist William James establishes a double approach to study religion: one genetic and one evaluative. He intends to achieve a more complete understanding of the phenomenon that accounts for its historical conformation and its value. With this double criterion he articulates the heroic theory of history, the pathological method, and the sociological concept of mimesis with his pragmatism. The goal of this paper is to reveal this multiplicity of approaches, which explains his ability to engage with complex religious concepts and respond to great theories of his time while retaining a fresh fertility that continues to appeal to countless readers.