Human Nature and Conduct: An introduction to social psychologyDewey, John
Philosophy
Human Nature and Conduct: An introduction to social psychology
Dewey, John
Habit; Social psychology
The occasion of deliberation, that is of the attempt to find a stimulus
to complete overt action in thought of some future object, is confusion
and uncertainty in present activities. A similar devision in activities
and need of a like deliberative activity for the sake of recovery of
unity is sure to recur, to recur again and again, no matter how wise the
decision. Even the most comprehensive deliberation leading to the most
momentous choice only fixes a disposition which has to be continuously
applied in new and unforeseen conditions, re-adapted by future
deliberations. Always our old habits and dispositions carry us into new
fields. We have to be always learning and relearning the meaning of our
active tendencies. Does not this reduce moral life to the futile toil of
a Sisyphus who is forever rolling a stone uphill only to have it roll
back so that he has to repeat his old task? Yes, judged from progress
made in a control of conditions which shall stay put and which excludes
the necessity of future deliberations and reconsiderations. No, because
continual search and experimentation to discover the meaning of changing
activity, keeps activity alive, growing in significance. The future
situation involved in deliberation is of necessity marked by
contingency. What it will be in fact remains dependent upon conditions
that escape our foresight and power of regulation. But foresight which
draws liberally upon the lessons of past experience reveals the
tendency, the meaning, of present action; and, once more, it is this
present meaning rather than the future outcome which counts. Imaginative
forethought of the probable consequences of a proposed act keeps that
act from sinking below consciousness into routine habit or whimsical
brutality. It preserves the meaning of that act alive, and keeps it
growing in depth and refinement of meaning. There is no limit to the
amount of meaning which reflective and meditative habit is capable of
importing into even simple acts, just as the most splendid successes of
the skilful executive who manipulates events may be accompanied by an
incredibly meager and superficial consciousness.
V
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