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

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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

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c 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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