Human Nature and Conduct · Chapters

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Chapter companions for Human Nature and Conduct by John Dewey.

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Chapter 1
Human Nature and Conduct
This introductory chapter establishes the foundation for a social psychology of conduct, arguing that habits are the primary units of moral and social behavior, shaped by social environments rather than fixed instincts. Dewey critiques traditional moral theories that separate reason from impulse, advocating for a view of freedom as intelligent deliberation within social contexts.
Chapter 2
Part I: The Place of Habit in Conduct
This chapter establishes habit as the fundamental unit of conduct, arguing that habits are not mere mechanical repetitions but active, social functions that constitute the self and shape moral character. Dewey critiques traditional dualisms that separate mind from body, will from habit, and individual from environment, emphasizing that habits are formed through interaction with social conditions and are the primary means by which character and will are expressed.
Chapter 3
Habits as Social Functions
Dewey argues that habits are not merely individual possessions but social functions that incorporate and depend upon the environment. He compares habits to physiological functions and arts, emphasizing that they require cooperation between organism and surroundings. Moral judgments, blame, and praise are themselves social conditions that shape character. True moral change requires modifying objective conditions, not just inner sentiments. Dewey critiques the isolation of the self from its environment and insists that conduct is always shared, with responsibility extending to the social factors that produce habits.
Chapter 4
Habits and Will
This chapter argues that habits are not mere mechanical repetitions but active, projective forces that constitute the self and are the true meaning of will. Dewey distinguishes habits as acquired predispositions that organize minor elements of action, emphasizing their dynamic, operative quality. He critiques the tendency to limit habit to routine and the separation of moral from non-moral acts, showing that all habits have propulsive power and form our effective desires and capacities. The chapter also explores the relationship between habits and ideas, noting that good habits are necessary for knowing and executing the good, and that means and ends are continuous, with ends being remote acts in a series.
Chapter 5
III: Character and Conduct
This chapter explores the unity of character and conduct, arguing that will is not separate from action but consists of habits that project into consequences. Dewey critiques both purely internal theories of virtue and purely consequentialist theories, showing they share a mistaken separation of motive from act. He develops a naturalistic account of objectivity in morals, where subjective ideals arise when habits persist in a changed environment, serving as transitional guides for reorganizing conditions. The chapter emphasizes that moral deliberation is experimental and that ideals must be tested by their consequences, akin to scientific inquiry.

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Human Nature and Conduct

Part I: The Place of Habit in Conduct

Habits as Social Functions

Habits and Will

III: Character and Conduct