Abstract

In recent years Dewey’s early philosophy has has been the subject of a remarkable growth of interest. Many interpreters have put considerable effort to criticize the traditional historiographical account of Dewey’s philosophical development, to the effect that Dewey progressively came to abandon idealism in favour of a form of naturalistic pragmatism. The present article aims to further articulate this new, more continuist historiographical approach by highlighting the theoretical complexity of Dewey’s early idealism. First of all, I will stress the multifaceted nature of British Idealism, where Kantian and Hegelian themes were often merged together. Secondly, I will argue that Dewey’s early philosophy is closer to Kant’s position than has usually been acknowledged.