[Dewey’s ‘Reflex Arc’ paper] is the strategy he followed…
![“[Dewey’s ‘Reflex Arc’ paper] is the strategy he followed in approaching every problem: expose a tacit hierarchy in the terms in which people conventionally think about it. We think that a response follows a stimulus; Dewey taught that there is a stimulus only because there is already a response…” quote by Louis Menand](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/295/louis-menand-8583_education_dewey-s-reflex-arc-paper-is-the-strategy_3048912.jpg)
““[Dewey’s ‘Reflex Arc’ paper] is the strategy he followed in approaching every problem: expose a tacit hierarchy in the terms in which people conventionally think about it. We think that a response follows a stimulus; Dewey taught that there is a stimulus only because there is already a response. We think that first there are individuals and then there is society; Dewey taught that there is no such thing as an individual without society. We think we know in order to do; Dewey taught that doing is why there is knowing.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Dewey reversed cause‑effect thinking, showing that responses create stimuli and individuals are inseparable from society.
In simple terms: Responses shape stimuli; society shapes self.
Key Takeaway
Question assumptions about cause and self.
Themes
philosophy
education
social theory
cognition
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
philosophical
theoretical
When to use this quote
- classroom discussions
- policy analysis
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
Pragmatism
constructivism
social ontology
Questions to Reflect On
- What “stimulus” in your life is actually a response?
- How does seeing yourself as part of society change your actions?
A Different Perspective
Reversing causality can be counterintuitive.