William James Report - The Moral Equivalent of War

 William James, American philosopher and psychologist, is known as the “Father of American Psychology" for his work at Harvard. This is where he solidified the field as a formal discipline. James’s work is often referenced as the forefront for work on consciousness, emotions, memory, and habits, and their effects on how the American psychological community viewed or studied the human mind. However, James’s later work is often thought to make him the leading figure to the development of pragmatism. My report, however, covers one of his famous speeches later turned into essays named. “The Moral Equivalent of War,” which speaks on his views of war, more specifically, what we could do with the effort it takes to go to war. In the essay he explores many of the virtues often carried in war such as courage, discipline, and unity. James then suggests that if we maintained all of the virtues, emotions, and purpose of war but directed it towards peaceful goals such as public work programs, national service, and building national unity. By doing this James believed that we could end war completely, not by avoiding it, but rather finding the moral equivalent of war peacefully. 

James acknowledges through the essay that war is naturally a morally attractive thing. There are not many things in the world that bring out the raw human traits like bravery, solidarity, and self sacrifice like war with so much passion or volume. These traits allow the human race to accomplish (regardless of their moral or ethical implications) massive feats. James simply suggests that by directing these things towards violent events is an incredible and gross misuse of them. For example, The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 as a part of his efforts to uphold this idea that James had. During the Great Depression the CCC offered jobs to young men across America, involving them in large scale land and environmental conservation. Together, the CCC was able to create massive infrastructure across the west, create national parks, plant trees and fight soil erosion. They reflected hard work and personal sacrifice with hard physical labor, instilling a discipline in the young men. This also created a sense of civic duty for these men by creating a commitment to something bigger than oneself, similar to that of the armed forces. 

Although James did not condone the act of war, he also openly critiques pacifism. He openly admits that pacifism is just too idealistic of an idea, and that it would just not work. Pacifism fails to recognise the need that humans have for struggle and for moral toughness. This is where I'd like to make my first stop in the report to personally relate to this. As a man I have experienced many ups and downs throughout my life. Things ranging from personal victories to death, there's always something new that life has to throw at you. However nothing in my life has had as consistent of an impact on my mental and physical fortitude as two things: my relationship with God and the military. Since it directly relates to the topic, I'll discuss mostly my connection to military service. The biggest thing that stood out to me was that James very clearly acknowledges that the human mind craves hardship, struggle, and tough conditions. This is something that outside of my military experience I’ve seldom seen, especially in today's media. Some of the hardest things I've done in my life seemed so much easier when I was forced to live and operate in difficult or stressful environments. I completely agree with James that humans need this struggle, and that peace without purpose leads to a soft and complacent individual.Without this it develops and man that wallows in mediocrity, who is content with passively watching their days pass by; all while failing to acknowledge the repercussions of a life misspent. (Sorry to get deep, I too enjoy the occasional philosophical tangent). 

William James was not just a philosopher but a very active psychologist who specialized in emotions and behaviors as they relate to functionalism. This is very important to note in James’s work, as it is in any other works from other philosophers, as it will shape the way one approaches an unanswered problem/thought. James spent a substantial amount of attention on the emotional aspect of these struggles and issues, which is what leads me to discuss his take on human nature's effects. He believed that people are not naturally comfort seeking, but that they need challenge and struggle in order to thrive and survive. For example if man was never cold he never would’ve made fire. If man was never hungry, he would never fish. James believed this simple idea didn't just affect basic level things, but that it sprouted into limbs that touched all aspects of human life. James thought that this need of challenge and purpose could easily be fulfilled by war. He also suggested that a peaceful society must provide meaningful forms of hardship. His essay suggests many alternatives that would fulfill this desire, but I believe the most effective one for this would be offering service in disaster zones. As someone who lived within a major disaster in Louisiana, I've seen first hand the destruction mother nature can cause overnight. However the most unified ive ever seen my community or people in general is during Disaster Relief. People serving free food, inviting strangers into their homes, offering to help rebuild houses, giving money they don't have themselves. All of these people are united under the same struggle, in which they found a peaceful alternative, to fulfill their civic duty and moral obligation. The reason I mention this is because I believe that this is exactly what James meant. There does not need to be war and murder for this unity to be created, simply a struggle that mankind can unite under, with the intent to take it down. 

But why care? Why should something that may or may not affect me in my lifetime matter to me, especially to the point where I advocate for it? Because this doesn't just cover war. This covers all negative struggles across the world. And James’s points cover today's issues like inequality, global wars, and national unity. In conclusion, James called for “hardened peace”. Not soft, but a disciplined strength that is both morally and spiritually correct. His call to action can be summed up into 2 things. One, we should maintain shared sacrifice and civic duty, searching for it in peaceful ways. And two, to rethink what peace requires of us as individuals. 

I was unable to actually perform my final before the class, so ive rewritten this essay to fit more of the bold styled report that I would have needed to provide. I thank all of you for a good year, and for challenging me and my beliefs. I hope that whatever comes to follow for you provides you with fulfillment, and as James would want, peaceful struggle. God bless.