George Stuart Fullerton
Encyclopedia
George Stuart Fullerton was an American
philosopher
and psychologist
. He was the host of the first annual meeting of the American Psychological Association
in 1892 at the University of Pennsylvania
, and the APA
's fifth president, in 1896.
Fullerton was born at Fatehgarh
, India
; graduated in 1879 from the University of Pennsylvania
and in 1884 from Yale Divinity School
; and returned to Pennsylvania to be an instructor, adjunct professor, and dean
of the department of philosophy, dean of the college, and vice provost of the university. In 1904 he was appointed professor
of philosophy at Columbia University
, and served as head of the department.
In 1914, while he was exchange professor at the University of Vienna
, World War I broke out. Fullerton was imprisoned as a civilian enemy national. He remained imprisoned for four years, until the end of the war, and conditions were so harsh that he returned to the U.S. with his health permanently damaged. (Scottish psychologist Henry J. Watt
suffered a similar fate.) Nearly an invalid for the last decade of his life, Fullerton committed suicide at the age of 66.
Fullerton's philosophy was realist. His writings include:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
philosopher
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and psychologist
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. He was the host of the first annual meeting of the American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
in 1892 at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, and the APA
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association is the largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United States. It is the world's largest association of psychologists with around 154,000 members including scientists, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. The APA...
's fifth president, in 1896.
Fullerton was born at Fatehgarh
Fatehgarh
Fatehgarh is a cantonment town in Farrukhabad district in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India. It is located on the right bank of the Ganges River. It is the administrative headquarters of Farrukhabad District. Fatehgarh derives its name from an old fort. It is a small city with no significant...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
; graduated in 1879 from the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
and in 1884 from Yale Divinity School
Yale Divinity School
Yale Divinity School is a professional school at Yale University, in New Haven, Connecticut, U.S. preparing students for ordained or lay ministry, or for the academy...
; and returned to Pennsylvania to be an instructor, adjunct professor, and dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the department of philosophy, dean of the college, and vice provost of the university. In 1904 he was appointed professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of philosophy at 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...
, and served as head of the department.
In 1914, while he was exchange professor at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
, World War I broke out. Fullerton was imprisoned as a civilian enemy national. He remained imprisoned for four years, until the end of the war, and conditions were so harsh that he returned to the U.S. with his health permanently damaged. (Scottish psychologist Henry J. Watt
Henry J. Watt
Henry Jackson Watt was a Scottish experimental psychologist. He was student of Oswald Külpe and a member of the Würzburg School. He is perhaps best known for his pioneering work on mental set in problem solving, what he referred to as "einstellung" or "task mental set".Watt was born and raised in...
suffered a similar fate.) Nearly an invalid for the last decade of his life, Fullerton committed suicide at the age of 66.
Fullerton's philosophy was realist. His writings include:
- The Conception of the Infinite (1887)
- A Plain Argument for God (1889)
- On Sameness and Identity (1890)
- On the Perception of Small Differences, with CattellJames McKeen CattellJames McKeen Cattell , American psychologist, was the first professor of psychology in the United States at the University of Pennsylvania and long-time editor and publisher of scientific journals and publications, most notably the journal Science...
(1892) - The Philosophy of SpinozaBaruch SpinozaBaruch de Spinoza and later Benedict de Spinoza was a Dutch Jewish philosopher. Revealing considerable scientific aptitude, the breadth and importance of Spinoza's work was not fully realized until years after his death...
(1894) - On Spinozistic Immortality (1899)
- A System of Metaphysics (1904)
- An Introduction to Philosophy (1906)
- The World We Live in, or Philosophy and Life in the Light of Modern Thought (1912)