Outlines of a Critical Theory of Ethics

"Outlines of a Critical Theory of Ethics" by John Dewey offers a deep look into ethical ideas of the time. Exploring concepts like goodness, duty, and liberty, it checks out how these fit into the moral thinking of the time. Dewey aims to push a critical view that looks closely at the ideas and organizations that affect how we act morally, encouraging us to see ethics as something that changes, not just a fixed set of laws. The book starts by defining ethics and showing how it's different from other parts of philosophy, mainly because it focuses on judging human actions morally. Dewey explains that ethics isn't just describing what people do, like in anthropology or psychology, but cares more about how good actions are based on what they're trying to achieve. He points out the key problems in ethics, like figuring out what real good actions are, understanding our moral duties, and why freedom matters in society.