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
This treatment by Kant evinces deep insight into the office of
intelligence and principle in conduct. But it involves flat
contradiction of Kant's own original intention to exclude consideration
of concrete consequences. It turns out to be a method of recommending a
broad impartial view of consequences. Our forecast of consequences is
always subject, as we have noted, to the bias of impulse and habit. We
see what we want to see, we obscure what is unfavorable to a cherished,
probably unavowed, wish. We dwell upon favoring circumstances till they
become weighted with reinforcing considerations. We don't give opposing
consequences half a chance to develop in thought. Deliberation needs
every possible help it can get against the twisting, exaggerating and
slighting tendency of passion and habit. To form the habit of asking
how we should be willing to be treated in a similar case--which is what
Kant's maxim amounts to--is to gain an ally for impartial and sincere
deliberation and judgment. It is a safeguard against our tendency to
regard our own case as exceptional in comparison with the case of
others. "Just this once," a plea for isolation; secrecy--a plea for
non-inspection, are forces which operate in every passionate desire.
Demand for consistency, for "universality," far from implying a
rejection of all consequences, is a demand to survey consequences
broadly, to link effect to effect in a chain of continuity. Whatever
force works to this end _is_ reason. For reason, let it be repeated is
an outcome, a function, not a primitive force. What we need are those
habits, dispositions which lead to impartial and consistent foresight
of consequences. Then our judgments are reasonable; we are then
reasonable creatures.
VIII
Certain critics in sympathy with at least the negative contention, the
critical side, of such a theory as has been advanced, regard it as
placing too much emphasis upon intelligence. They find it
intellectualistic, cold-blooded. They say we must change desire, love,
aspiration, admiration, and then action will be transformed. A new
affection, a changed appreciation, brings with it a revaluation of life
and insists upon its realization. A refinement of intellect at most only
figures out better ways of reaching old and accustomed ends. In fact we
are lucky if intellect does not freeze the ardor of generous desire and
paralyze creative endeavor. Intellect is critical, unproductive while
desire is generative. In its dispassionateness intellect is aloof from
humanity and its needs. It fosters detachment where sympathy is needed.
It cultivates contemplation when salvation lies in liberating desire.
Intellect is analytic, taking things to pieces; its devices are the
scalpel and test-tube. Affection is synthetic, unifying. This argument
affords an opportunity for making more explicit those respective offices
of wish and thought in forming ends which have already been touched
upon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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