How did John Dewey move away from Hegelian idealism?
John Dewey began his career as a Hegelian, but he gradually moved away from this idealism during the 1890s as his interests shifted toward experimental psychology and the emerging school of pragmatism.12
His transition was significantly influenced by the work of William James, whose pragmatic approach provided a vital alternative to the Hegelian "block universe" and its reliance on absolutes. By engaging with Jamesâs ideas and his own research in child psychology and education, Dewey sought to free himself from the hold of Hegelian metaphysics.231
Ultimately, Dewey reformulated these influences into his own theory of instrumentalism. This shift represented a move toward a philosophy that prioritized scientific inquiry, the study of processes of change, and the practical application of ideas as tools to resolve specific, problematic conditions in human experience. While he abandoned Hegelian idealism, he retained a characteristic tendency to denounce abstractions and remained critical of the claims made by formal logicians.245