ABSTRACT
The opus of William James (1842-1910) is revolutionary, forward looking, and par-
ticularly suited for a holistic conception of enactive performance and cognition. Of par-
ticular interest in terms of self-cultivation are James’ views on asceticism and risk, and
those regarding cognition and action: his notions of the fringe and pure experience.
The pivotal role of the body in this exposition partially redresses the academic igno-
rance that, as philosopher Shusterman (2008) remarks, exists regarding the body’s
importance in James thinking. Additionally, this examination validates James’s dynamic
view of the brain where localized processes richly interact with one another. As Bruce
Mangan explains this guides his phenomenology of consciousness not as a series of dis-
crete elements but a continuous process (2007, 673). While James’ introspective meth-
odology and phenomenology are still viewed with suspicion (ibid., 674), this essay
further validates the Jamesian legacy while underwriting many of the ideas in the third
section of Skillful Striving.
