British philosopher, novelist, and judge Thomas Troward (1847-1916) is renowned for his writings on the mind's ability to create and for the foundational ideas of mental science. He was an Indian Civil Service judge who was born in India and had his education in London. Troward was a key player in the New Thought movement, which stressed the influence of thought on reality and the strength of the mind. The Edinburgh Lectures on Mental Science and The Dore Lectures on Mental Science, two of his writings on the subject, are still read and studied today. The combination of Troward's legal training and his in-depth familiarity with Eastern philosophy and religion affected his method of approaching mental science. He underlined the need of cultivating a positive outlook and harnessing the power of thinking to accomplish our objectives and enhance our lives. The discipline of self-help and personal development has been significantly influenced by Troward's contributions to mental science. Several well-known people, such as the writer Napoleon Hill and the spiritual teacher Ernest Holmes, have been influenced by his beliefs. Nowadays, Troward is regarded as a founding member of the New Thought movement and a significant contributor to the growth of contemporary spiritual and self-help books.
