Abraham Tucker as an 18th-century William James: Stream of consciousness, role of examples, and the importance of writing

Abstract

This article discusses the psychological writings of the neglected 18th-century English philosopher Abraham Tucker and argues for his importance. The article explores the similarities between Tucker’s work and that of William James. It is suggested that both share a humorous and humane style, which concentrates on exploring concrete examples, especially from everyday life, rather than constructing abstract theories. Moreover, there are substantive similarities. Tucker, like James, saw consciousness occurring over time as a river or stream. Both stressed the importance of habit for individual and social life, and both depicted the infant as being overwhelmed by sensation. Tucker may have been neglected because he was “dethroning” the ideal of the conscious, rational ego before the importance of unconscious thinking had gained currency. This celebration of Tucker through the parallel with James has a critical purpose. Psychology is more than theory and methodology; it has to be written. Its rhetoric is important. The examples of James and Tucker show the value of warm-hearted writing.