Charles A. Strong
Encyclopedia
Charles Augustus Strong (28 November 1862 – 23 January 1940), philosopher and psychologist
, was the eldest son of the Augustus Hopkins Strong
. In 1865 the Rev. Strong moved the family to Cleveland, Ohio
. Here the Strong family became acquainted with the family of John D. Rockefeller
.
and received education at the Rochester Theological Seminary, where his father was President. He entered the Phillips Exeter Academy
in Exeter, New Hampshire
. Strong was a student of Latin and Greek, and he served as editor of the school paper. In July 1881 he travelled to Germany
, where he studied at the Gütersloh Gymnasium. He returned to America in 1883 and entered the University of Rochester
, where he received an AB in 1884 and an LLD in 1919. Strong graduated from Harvard in 1885 with a second AB. At Harvard he was influenced by the philosopher and psychologist, William James. He also became friends with George Santayana
, and together they founded the Harvard Philosophical Club.
From 1885 to 1886 he returned to the Rochester Theological Seminary, which was still headed by his father. In 1886 Strong headed to Berlin
with George Santayana
on a James Walker Fellowship from Harvard. Strong turned away from a career in the clergy. In Berlin he studied psychology, philosophy, and physiology with professors Carl Stumpf
and Friedrich Paulsen
. On his return to America he worked part-time as an instructor in philosophy at Cornell University
. Strong went to Paris
, Freiburg
and Berlin in 1889. In the same year, he married Bessie, the daughter of John D. Rockefeller
.
In 1890 Strong became a docent at Clark University
and in 1892 he was appointed associate professor of psychology at the University of Chicago
. Chicago's first psychological laboratories were set up by Strong in 1893. Strong moved on to Columbia University
, where he lectured in psychology until 1903. From 1903 to 1910 he was a professor of psychology at Columbia.
In 1903 he authored his first work, Why the Mind Has a Body. After the death of his wife he moved to Fiesole in Italy, where he wrote The Origin of Consciousness (1918), Essays in Critical Realism (1920), The Wisdom of the Beasts (1921), A Theory of Knowledge (1923), Essays on the Natural Origin of the Mind (1930), and A Creed for Sceptics (1936).
Strong died in Villa Le Balze, Fiesole
, Italy
, his villa was left to Georgetown University
by his daughter, Margaret Rockefeller Strong de Larraín, Marquesa de Cuevas
(1897–1985). He was a member of the Century Club of New York
.
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
, was the eldest son of the Augustus Hopkins Strong
Augustus Hopkins Strong
Augustus Hopkins Strong was a Baptist minister and theologian who lived in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
. In 1865 the Rev. Strong moved the family to Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. Here the Strong family became acquainted with the family of John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
.
Biography
Strong was born in Haverhill, MassachusettsHaverhill, Massachusetts
Haverhill is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 60,879 at the 2010 census.Located on the Merrimack River, it began as a farming community that would evolve into an important industrial center, beginning with sawmills and gristmills run by water power. In the...
and received education at the Rochester Theological Seminary, where his father was President. He entered the Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy
Phillips Exeter Academy is a private secondary school located in Exeter, New Hampshire, in the United States.Exeter is noted for its application of Harkness education, a system based on a conference format of teacher and student interaction, similar to the Socratic method of learning through asking...
in Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter, New Hampshire
Exeter is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The town's population was 14,306 at the 2010 census. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices were moved to neighboring Brentwood...
. Strong was a student of Latin and Greek, and he served as editor of the school paper. In July 1881 he travelled to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where he studied at the Gütersloh Gymnasium. He returned to America in 1883 and entered the University of Rochester
University of Rochester
The University of Rochester is a private, nonsectarian, research university in Rochester, New York, United States. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The university has six schools and various interdisciplinary programs.The...
, where he received an AB in 1884 and an LLD in 1919. Strong graduated from Harvard in 1885 with a second AB. At Harvard he was influenced by the philosopher and psychologist, William James. He also became friends with George Santayana
George Santayana
George Santayana was a philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist. A lifelong Spanish citizen, Santayana was raised and educated in the United States and identified himself as an American. He wrote in English and is generally considered an American man of letters...
, and together they founded the Harvard Philosophical Club.
From 1885 to 1886 he returned to the Rochester Theological Seminary, which was still headed by his father. In 1886 Strong headed to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
with George Santayana
George Santayana
George Santayana was a philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist. A lifelong Spanish citizen, Santayana was raised and educated in the United States and identified himself as an American. He wrote in English and is generally considered an American man of letters...
on a James Walker Fellowship from Harvard. Strong turned away from a career in the clergy. In Berlin he studied psychology, philosophy, and physiology with professors Carl Stumpf
Carl Stumpf
Carl Stumpf was a German philosopher and psychologist.Born in Wiesentheid, he studied with Franz Brentano and Hermann Lotze...
and Friedrich Paulsen
Friedrich Paulsen
Friedrich Paulsen was a German philosopher and educator.-Biography:He was born at Langenhorn and educated at Erlangen, Bonn and Berlin, where he became extraordinary professor of philosophy and pedagogy in 1878...
. On his return to America he worked part-time as an instructor in philosophy at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. Strong went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
and Berlin in 1889. In the same year, he married Bessie, the daughter of John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
.
In 1890 Strong became a docent at Clark University
Clark University
Clark University is a private research university and liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts.Founded in 1887, it is the oldest educational institution founded as an all-graduate university. Clark now also educates undergraduates...
and in 1892 he was appointed associate professor of psychology at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
. Chicago's first psychological laboratories were set up by Strong in 1893. Strong moved on to Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where he lectured in psychology until 1903. From 1903 to 1910 he was a professor of psychology at Columbia.
In 1903 he authored his first work, Why the Mind Has a Body. After the death of his wife he moved to Fiesole in Italy, where he wrote The Origin of Consciousness (1918), Essays in Critical Realism (1920), The Wisdom of the Beasts (1921), A Theory of Knowledge (1923), Essays on the Natural Origin of the Mind (1930), and A Creed for Sceptics (1936).
Strong died in Villa Le Balze, Fiesole
Fiesole
Fiesole is a town and comune of the province of Florence in the Italian region of Tuscany, on a famously scenic height above Florence, 8 km NE of that city...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, his villa was left to Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
by his daughter, Margaret Rockefeller Strong de Larraín, Marquesa de Cuevas
Margaret Rockefeller Strong de Larraín, Marquesa de Cuevas
Margaret Rockefeller Strong Cuevas was an American activist.Cuevas was the daughter of Elizabeth Rockefeller Strong and her husband Dr. Charles Augustus Strong . Her maternal grandfather was Standard Oil co-founder John D. Rockefeller...
(1897–1985). He was a member of the Century Club of New York
Century Association
__notoc__The Century Association is a private club in New York City. It evolved out of an earlier organization – the Sketch Club, founded in 1829 by editor and poet William Cullen Bryant and his friends – and was established in 1847 by Bryant and others as a club to promote interest in...
.