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John Dewey was America’s most influential philosopher. He wanted philosophy to rise above old tired disputes to address new, more vital questions and problems. Dewey’s views are known as "pragmatism," which emphasizes action and results. He believed that knowledge and ethics, as well as art and religion, live only in the daily practice of one’s life. Philosophy isn't a system of beliefs but a practical, empirical method of inquiry. It is one with education, which continually develops and renews the capacity for new habits.

Dewey believed that the scientific method can be extended to human affairs. Properly applied, it enables us to organize society to enhance personal happiness and community cooperation. Democracy, for Dewey, is more a way of life than a form of government; each person should help create and direct the social forces that affect our lives. ... Read more

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This study examines John Dewey's thinking about the arts and explores the practical implications of that thinking for educators. The author introduces the basics of Dewey's aesthetic theory and then looks at the ways in which a work of art can affect its creator and audience. ... Read more

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Excellent and thought-provoking
This book has had a huge influence on my thinking.In clear prose Jackson lays out the phenomelogical approach of Dewey to art.It took me awhile to grasp where this was going, but when I did, it was trememdously rewarding.Highly recommended.

make and do
John Dewey and the Lessons of Art by Philip W. Jackson:
Jackson argues that Dewey may never really have enjoyed art for arts sake but dealt with art as something to explore how his philosophical principles should be applied to it. Among the interesting themes in this book concern the laboratory school's growth out of Dewey's goal to increase the attraction of education to more students. Most young people wanted to get to making and doing and work and did not have the interest in more abstract learning. The laboratory school was an attempt to get students to "make and do" but focus on abstract learning doing it. Jackson examines the dilemma this causes in that teachers tend to do less abstract learning and overall learning declines as a result, and that Dewey tried to work with this dilemma but didn't quite get the message out. It sounds a lot like the issues educators face today. If you keep the students interested will they be learning what they need to? Art is one way to make and do in the class room but does it achieve what classical education about art does? ... Read more

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John Dewey was one of the most influential American philosophers of his time and also one of the most prolific, with about forty books and 700 articles to his credit. When this book was originally published in 1977 Dewey's work, with the exception of his important contributions to the philosophy of education, had suffered an unwarranted scholarly neglect and remained little known outside the USA. This present volume helped redress this balance.

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General Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1920Original Publisher: H. Holt and CompanySubjects: PhilosophyPhilosophy, ModernEducation / Educational PsychologyPhilosophy / GeneralPhilosophy / EthicsAmazon.com Review
For those of us trying to make sense of the world and the institutions we devise to cope with it, John Dewey's Reconstruction in Philosophy offers tremendous insight. Writing a few years after World War I, the highly regarded American philosopher chose to embrace the modern sense of scientific optimism and apply it to the search for truth. He argued forcefully that our philosophical constructions are not based in reason, but only use higher thinking to justify themselves, and that we might find better ways of living if we examine our deepest beliefs and feelings with an eye toward their ultimate effects on us and others. This experimental philosophy, pragmatism, took several steps beyond the previous century's utilitarianism and was both hailed and reviled as a subsumption of philosophy and ethics into science.

Written as lectures, Reconstruction in Philosophy is marginally less dry than other philosophical tracts, but for readers new to the jargon, some sections can be slow-going. The pleasure of Dewey's works, though, comes from the intellectual stimulation of following a brilliant mind into then-uncharted epistemological territory. The last chapter, "Reconstruction As Affecting Social Philosophy," foreshadows so much 20th-century political thinking--from across the spectrum--that it ought to be required reading in high school civics classes. Did pragmatism change our lives for the better? The very fact that we can ask such a question is Dewey's legacy; the answer must remain an open question. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

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More Editorial Reviews
"A modern classic. Dewey's lectures have lost none of their vigor...The historical approach, which underlay the central argument, is beautifully exemplified in his treatments of the origin of philosophy."--Philosophy and Phenomenological Research

"It was with this book that Dewey fully launched his campaign for experimental philosophy."--The New Republic

Refreshing encounter with a great mind
Dewey's philosophy is hard for some people to get into, or take seriously, because his whole body of concerns and ideas are present behind every sentence-- so, even though his language is plain-spoken, it is "saturated with meaning," to use one of his phrases.So it takes real work, and he doesn't always succeed in keeping the foreground clear, while remembering the background.It's DOING philosophy, rather than merely writing ABOUT it.This book is a great example -- what does philosophy do for us, how does it contribute when it is woven into the other enterprises of life, and what ideas in philosophy stand it the way of its making a living contribution.The book is full of dramatic, and even radical thinking, but in quiet, reflective language that requires relaxed, persistent attention.

John Dewey's program for philosophy's reconstruction
Written soon after the First World War, Reconstruction in Philosophy by James Dewey attempts to lay out a program for making philosophy adapt to the needs of a new time and age. As man's experience has changed in the modern era, so must philosophy change; philosophy must evolve in order to explicitly address those issues from which it originally arose - those dealing with the everyday concerns of man. It is contemporary philosophy's (in 1919) detachment from man's real life and goals that Dewey wishes to diagnose and address. Philosophy must break the bonds of tradition and become entirely secular; the scientific method which revolutionized man's life must be embraced by philosophy - the facts and experience oriented spirit of science must pervade the reconstruction of philosophy.

It is the rise of science as the great shaper of human life and culture that constitutes the greatest change in human experience. Pre-historic man's life - which, according to Dewey, consisted of brief periods of food gathering and the rest of long periods of reverie - gave rise to conceptions of the nature of man and the world. As men's culture advanced, so did men's accounts of the nature of man and the world; these developments culminated in the works of the classic ancient thinkers, notably Plato and Aristotle. These were philosophies that denigrated ugly matter and imperfect change, and idealized perfect, eternal forms. These philosophies, and those in modern times which carry their influence, place ultimate value and ultimate reality in otherworldly or extra-sensory things - in the Forms, Celestial Spheres, the Categories, etc.

The Pragmatic method proposed by Dewey seeks to dispense with the old dichotomies and idealizations and transform knowledge and philosophy from the "contemplative to the operative." Science broke the old dogmas about the physical universe and philosophy should similarly make experience the test of our principles; abstractions, principles, generalizations, etc. should service concrete action, not the other way around. "The true is the verified," writes Dewey. This is the method by which logic, epistemology, morals, politics, etc. should base its reconstruction.

Dewey's program, it may be argued, only serves to relocate rather than resolve some of the main issues of philosophy. How exactly the methods of science are to be absorbed by philosophy, and whether philosophy does in fact differ from the sciences only in its degree of generality are unanswered questions. While deriding "fixed and final" end in ethics, Dewey posits "growth itself as the only moral end." And by defining society as "the process of associating in such ways that experiences, ideas, emotions, and values are transmitted and made common," he makes both the individual and the state subordinate to this process. Have we not traded one thing to subordinate ourselves to for another? This is not to say that Dewey doesn't offer a framework that perhaps allows us to offer more satisfying answers to philosophy's issues (which is just what Dewey argues for); its just that he is proposing a new methodology for answering those issues, not (in this work at least) offering specific answers, or defending in a satisfying way the assertion that his program is in the first place tenable. These comments aren't mean to trivialize Dewey's program offhand, but to point out the sort of questions he raises which should be answered.

For a much more fruitful and rigorous defense of a pragmatic-type approach to some of philosophy's central issues, see Susan Haack's Evidence and Inquiry: Towards Reconstruction in Epistemology (for the title of which she borrowed from Dewey). This work by Dewey, however, is required reading for those who wish to study the American Pragmatist school.

An introduction to the philosophy of pragmatic humanism

Written shortly after World War I, John Dewey's classic RECONSTRUCTION IN PHILOSOPHY offered an introduction to the philosophy of pragmatic humanism, arguing against traditional philosophy by suggesting their fountains in self-justification were flawed and proposing an examination of core values based on other criteria. Published in 1948, this Dover reprint of the enlarged edition is an important guide to any college-level philosophy collection.

Essential to understanding pragmatism and instrumentalism.
John Dewey, as I've heard, was never comfortable with labels. Throughout his career he shifted from and to many rubrics: pragmatism, interactionism, instrumentalism, transactionism, experimentalism. Truth be told, all of these are present in "Reconstruction in Philosophy" and partly because of that, this is probably the best intro to Dewey available.

Dewy has a bone to pick with traditional philosophy. Not only has it lost track with real, as opposed to academic, problems (anyone walking down the street can tell us this) but it never really was that good at depicting real questions and descriptions anyway. Take comcepts like Plato's ideal forms and Kant's a priori. Neither of these are teneble in any realm of experience; rather, they were a misguided quest to explain the permanance and stability of the world.

Dewey's book is an attempt to pull the carpet out from under their feet; science and inquiry using its methods shows us that the world changes and if anything, stability is something that is felt by us - not inherent in the world. Thus a prioris, ideal forms, seperation of the noumenal and phenouminal amongst other current 'problems' in philosophy - all based on the idea of permanant/transitory dichotomy - are not only wearing thin, but are fast showing to be irrelevant. From this, he builds the groundwork of a philosophy in between rationalism and empiricism. Taking from rationalism an admiration and recognition of reason's power to direct action and combining it with empiricims fascination with experience, Dewey creates a philosophy that puts the spotlight not on one or the other, but on both as leading to and taking from eachother.

The first chapter are a philosophical survey of how philosophy went wrong; particularly in Ancient Greek and early Christian philosophy (both having a love affair with absolutes outside of experience). The second chapter focuses on the mistakes when philosophers, like Francis Bacon, widened the chasm between the real and experiential and the ideal and rational.

From here, Dewey proceeds piece by piece to show what was wrong and how to fix it by making clear tht scienctific inquiry (the equal interaction between subject and object) leaves no room for absolutes, forms or a prioris (or at least, not in any pragmatically useful sense). By extension, things like formal rules of logic above experience, non-experimentalism in moral or political theory and psychology that includes the individual without an equal part of the social; all of these become little more than unfounded but continually persisting glorifications.

For the reader interested in Dewey, naturalism, instrumentalism or the implications of pragmatism, this is a great introduction. From here, I suggest Dewey's "The Quest for Certainty" followed by "Experience and Nature", topped off with "Human Nature and Conduct". ... Read more

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This is the most revolutionary book about morals.
John Dewey's HUMAN NATURE AND CONDUCT is a bookthat has the potential to change the world for better.This book establishes the guidelines for social psychology and helps people solve their problems and get rid of their hangups. It is a must read for anyone and everyone who needs to find meaning in life. ... Read more

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Written by an eminent philosopher shortly after the shattering effects of World War I, this volume offers an insightful introduction to the concept of pragmatic humanism. Dewey presents persuasive arguments against traditional philosophical constructs, suggesting their basis in self-justification. He proposes, instead, an examination of core values in terms of their ultimate effects on the self and others. This experimental philosophy was received with both outrage and acclaim for daring to mingle ethics and science. Delivered in 1919 as a series of lectures, Dewey's landmark work appears here in an enlarged edition that features an informative introduction by the author, written more than 25 years after the book's initial publication. ... Read more

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Terry Hoy seeks to establish the contemporary relevance of the political philosphy of John Dewey. As Professor Hoy illustrates, Dewey focused on the distortions in American political thought resulting from the Lockean-Utilitarian tradition of classical liberalism; the growing standardization and quantification of American life; the erosion of traditional face-to-face communal public life; the manipulation of public opinion by mass media propaganda; and the ascendancy of capitalist economic priorities. ... Read more

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Arguably the most influential thinker on education in the twentieth century, Dewey's contribution lies along several fronts. His attention to experience and reflection, democracy and community, and to environments for learning have been seminal. ... Read more

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This is an exploration of Deweyan pedagogy in an actual classroom since studies of Dewey's Laboratory School began at the turn of the century. The authors discuss his educational theory in the context of his ideology and philosophy, and they examine his own Introduction to Philosophy class. ... Read more

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Fantastic! Dewey summary and an application thereof.
This book is tremendous--it provides an engaging entrance into the authors' dilemna (one all teachers have): How to teach usefully? Next is an excellent overview of Dewey's educational theories, and then a step-by-stepdescription of the authors' successful application into a collegeclassroom.I am so motivated now to try it myself. "They" saidit could not be done, but "they" were wrong! My response: Aaaahaahhhh! ... Read more

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This book uses John Dewey to articulate discursive practices that would help citizens form better intellectual and moral relationships with their fragmented, shifting political environment. These practices do not impart more or better information to citizens, but instead consist in dialog exhibiting rhythms and patterns that increase their interest in inquiring how distant events and communities affect their individual lives. The basis for these practices can be found in Dewey's claim that teachers can lead class discussions with particular 'aesthetic' qualities that encourage students to expand the scale of the realm of events that they deem important to their lives.The ability to forge moral and intellectual links with distant political events becomes all the more necessary in our current environment-not only are individuals' lives increasingly affected by global events, but also such events constantly shift across an increasingly 'liquid' social landscape comprised of decentralized institutions, instantaneous communication and easy transportation.Dewey saw early on how such 'aesthetics' of society, or its spatial and temporal qualities, might undermine citizens' understanding and concern for the larger public. This concern for how the movement and location of elements of the social environment might affect citizen perception ties Dewey to many contemporary geographers, economists and social theorists normally not associated with his work. If Dewey's classrooms were to be reinterpreted as political associations and his teachers as organizers, individuals discussing the origins of their seemingly local issues in such associations could forge passionate moral connections with the contemporary liquid public. Subsequently, they might begin to increasingly care for, participate in global politics and seek solidarity with seemingly distant communities. ... Read more

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