It is argued here that understanding John Dewey's thought as that of a prodigal liberal or a fellow traveller does not capture the complexity of his work. It is also important to recognise the portion of his work that is "historie morale." In the very best sense it is epic, encapsulating the hopes and dreams of a history of the American people in the early 1900s. It is a work that simultaneously pursues modernity and the past--for the sake of coping with the present. It also calls attention to an unnoticed element in his work "inexperience." (Contains 5 notes.)