A modern classic. Dewey's lectures have lost none of their vigor...The historical approach, which underlay the
central argument, is beautifully exemplified in his treatments of the origin of philosophy."
--Philosophy and Phenomenological Research
"It was with this book that Dewey fully launched his campaign for experimental philosophy."
--The New Republic
Dover Publications Web Site, August, 2005
Summary
Written by an eminent philosopher shortly after the shattering effects of World War I, this volume offers an
insightful introduction to the concept of pragmatic humanism. Dewey presents persuasive arguments against traditional
philosophical constructs, suggesting their basis in self-justification. He proposes, instead, an examination of
core values in terms of their ultimate effects on the self and others. This experimental philosophy was received
with both outrage and acclaim for daring to mingle ethics and science. Delivered in 1919 as a series of lectures,
Dewey's landmark work appears here in an enlarged edition that features an informative introduction by the author,
written more than 25 years after the book's initial publication.
