Dewey’s Argument against Foundationalism in Ethics

: In this chapter, Lekan explores John Dewey’s argument against the necessity of practice-independent moral foundations in Human Nature and Conduct (1922). Lekan describes how Dewey challenges the claim that morality requires an external, nonempirical grounding to ensure motivation and objectivity. Instead, he develops a naturalistic and social account of human nature, arguing that moral norms arise from customs, which evolve through reflective intelligence and social interactions. Dewey critiques traditional moral theories for fostering authoritarianism and dogmatism, which emphasize obedience and blame rather than inquiry and adaptation. Lekan shows that Dewey’s fifth wheel argument asserts that grounding assumptions are unnecessary because moral deliberation already functions within socially embedded practices. He rejects the egoist’s skeptical challenge – “Why be moral?” – as misguided, emphasizing that moral inquiry is continuous with social life. Lekan argues that by replacing rigid moral principles with experimental problem-solving, Dewey presents ethics as an evolving, context-sensitive practice. His approach shifts the focus from static ideals to dynamic moral intelligence, advocating for a democratic, inquiry-based moral life where values and habits are continually revised in response to changing conditions.