ABSTRACT
The first part of this chapter presents a pragmatist perspective on ethics and morals specifically based on the works of the American philosopher and educational reformer John Dewey (1859–1952). In this perspective, morals are not innate or fixed but are something that we learn, and this is a continuous process throughout life. We learn by experiencing moral situations that make us reflect on responsibilities and concerns that we have previously taken for granted. In this way, we gradually learn to be more sensitive to the specific circumstances that prevail in diverse moral situations and develop an intelligent sympathy. Furthermore, Dewey holds democracy as a moral ideal. In his view, democracy is way of life in which people with different experiences create new possibilities by influencing each other. The second part suggests two teaching principles based on the pragmatist perspective: (1) start in students’ moral experiences of concrete cases and 2) introduce ethical theory and language. These principles provide guidelines for teachers to organise their ‘ethical moves’ systematically in a way that supports a moral learning in line with the normative competency necessary for achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
