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John Dewey's philosophy of education
This is an essay on John Dewey's philosophy of
education. The scope of the essay may be described in a
general way as the exploration and examination of the
supposed point or points of contact between Dewey's
technical philosophical formulations on the one hand and his
views about the aims and general character of education on
the other. This is outlined in Chapter One.
In Chapter Two I have attempted to give a general
account of Dewey's views as to what philosophy is. The
chapter is entirely expository and is intended to be read as
a preparation for the more critical examination of some of
the main concepts and arguments that is provided in the
following chapters.
Dewey's metaphysical perspective is the subject of
examination in Chapter Three. I have tried to clarify and
determine the meaning (i.e., Dewey's meaning) of the
concepts of nature, experience, and intelligence which
appear as fundamental notions in Dewey's philosophical
writing as well as in his thinking about social and educational matters. These notions are found to lack
clarity and precision. I have also tried to draw attention
to some of the basic difficulties involved in Dewey's
conception of metaphysics and in his metaphysical position.
This is followed by an account in Chapter Three of the
pattern of inquiry as Dewey has formulated it. I have tried
to indicate the important role of the method of inquiry in
Dewey's philosophical framework. I have discussed certain
fundamental issues raised by Dewey 's account of the phases
of inquiry. I have also analyzed the model of inquiry to
determine Dewey 's conception of science and scientific
method.
The first section of Chapter Five contains an
examination of Dewey's theory of valuation. Here I have
examined his model of inquiry in the more direct form of the
method of evaluation and indicated its major shortcomings.
In the following section I have analyzed his conception of
growth as a moral end or ideal and have argued that in terms
of his philosophical position this has serious limitations.
Before turning directly to the problems occupying us in the pages to come I have tried in Chapter Six to clarify
certain points about the nature of contact between technical
philosophical categories and social and educational theory.
I have attempted to draw certain lines to explain our present purpose and to indicate the scope of the following
discussion.
The following chapter consists of an analysis of
Dewey's reconstructed conception of the democratic way of
life. I have tried to show that Dewey's model of inquiry
does not apply to complex social situations and that the
kind of society he seems to envisage - a great majority
integrated around a common core of ethical values - could
be destructive to liberty and other values.
Next, in Chapter Eight I have analyzed Dewey's
educational writing with a view to determine his views about
the aims and general character of education. I have tried
to examine whether Dewey's basic recommendations about
educational aims and methods are logically connected with
his technical philosophical formulations or are rendered
more likely by them.
Conclusion: At almost every point, the upshot of this
analysis has been to suggest that the logical or
philosophical links that Dewey claimed or assumed between
his technical philosophical formulations and educational recommendations do not in fact exist
Bowdoin Orient v.130, no.1-22 (1998-1999)
https://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/bowdoinorient-1990s/1011/thumbnail.jp