This handbook introduces Human Nature and Conduct, John Dewey's groundbreaking book about moral psychology and moral philosophy, to a new generation. In his classic work, Dewey redefined impulse, habit, and intelligence: not as isolated individual traits, but as socially conditioned factors shaping human thought and action. His ultimate insight is that growth is the only moral good, and that morality is, at its core, a matter of education. Featuring contributions by leading international scholars, this volume presents expert insights into Dewey's unique psychological framework and its far-reaching impact on moral philosophy and education. The book also tackles contemporary moral dilemmas, from environmental protection and healthcare rationing to sexual liberation and religious transformation, demonstrating how Dewey's thought remains as vital today as ever.
'This handbook takes on an important task by gathering the reflections of top Dewey scholars on different themes, concepts, arguments, and insights found in Human Nature and Conduct. It is indispensable reading for students and scholars of pragmatism as well as those interested in the relevance of Dewey’s social psychology for education, ethics, and democracy.'
Gregory Fernando Pappas - Texas A&M University
'In this stellar collection of 28 critical essays, John Dewey’s social psychology is offered as antidote to the poisons of social nihilism, isolationism, marginalization of minorities, and assaults democracy and education disseminated by the forces of authoritarianism. These essays will open new vistas for students, teachers, and general readers.'
Larry A. Hickman - former Director of the Center for Dewey Studies, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
'By attending to ethical theory, education, and the contemporary situation as focal points of entry, and by curating a cross-cutting array of entries by knowledgeable, respected, and internationally-situated authors, Waks and English offer a text that meets the need and interest of scholars and practitioners no matter what draws them to this important Deweyan work.'
Barbara S. Stengel - President of the John Dewey Society
'Through careful philosophical examination and contemporary examples, this collection demonstrates the continued relevance of Dewey’s ethics and social psychology. Notably, it draws attention to Dewey’s focus on habits, showing how the seemingly dull and routine can have a significant, even revolutionary, impact on learning, imagination, deliberation, and the world.'
Sarah Stitzlein - University of Cincinnati
Loading metrics...
* Views captured on Cambridge Core between #date#. This data will be updated every 24 hours.
Usage data cannot currently be displayed.
This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.
The HTML of this book complies with version 2.1 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), covering newer accessibility requirements and improved user experiences and achieves the intermediate (AA) level of WCAG compliance, covering a wider range of accessibility requirements.
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.