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This paper establishes the basis for a pragmatist-inspired theory of human action to predominant ideas about knowledge, learning and education. As a necessary prelude to an examination of pragmatist theory’s position on human action and its specific focus on habits and creativity, pragmatism is defined and then related to inquiry. Next, the fields of adult education and social movement learning are explored for their continued resonance with the main educational tenets of pragmatism. Following this, a separate section on habits and creativity is offered to highlight a key relationship for the design of educative environments. Knowledge is addressed in a section that explains it as a carrier of routine and a bridge in the individual-collective nexus. The paper ends with five features of an educative environment designed for social change, each of which is identified in relation to the tenets of pragmatist theory. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]