William concluded that the best judge of character is one’s ability to be impulsive and…. One of William’s greatest struggles was deciding whether or not to enlist in the war. He was trying figure out his role in the War, despite his fathers efforts to protect him, the eldest son, from danger. He soon had the belief that “certainty was moral death” (75). As a result, one could argue that William learned through experiences, Menand argues it was "self-conscious impulsivity". Ultimately, William welcomed his indecisiveness. Menand claims, "He would act decisively, and then, just as decisively change his mind" (75).
It seemed as though throughout Henry James’ life, especially towards the end of his life, he hoped to connect science and religion