Habit Author:William James 1890. The habits to which there is an innate tendency are called instincts; some of those due to education would by most persons be called acts of reason. It appears that habit covers a very large part of life, and that one engaged in studying the objective manifestations of mind is bound at the very outset to define clearly just what its limits... more » are. This volume illustrates the principles surrounding habit and its structure.« less