Human Nature and Conduct

A morality "based on the study of human nature instead of upon disregard for it" is the focus of this influential work by one of America's greatest educators and philosophers. John Dewey maintains that the key to social psychology lies in an understanding of the many varieties of habit; individual mental activity, on the other hand, is guided by the subordinate factors of impulse and intelligence. "The mind," Dewey asserts, "can be understood in the concrete only as a system of beliefs, desires, and purposes which are formed in the interaction of biological aptitudes with a social environment." His investigation focuses on three main areas: the place of habit in conduct; the place of impulse in conduct; and the place of intelligence in conduct. Each factor receives an incisive treatment, brimming with ideas, insights, and considered reflections. This classic of its genre presents a rich banquet of food for thought, certain to be appreciated by educators, psychologists, philosophers, and anyone interested in the role of the individual in society.